Pokémon: The Kanto Journey
by 19jchoi
Summary: Together as brothers, Ash Ketchum and Isamu Ketchum embark on their Pokémon journey to become Pokémon Masters someday. They travel around the Kanto region with their partners Pikachu and Eevee, along with their new friends Brock and Misty in order to achieve their goals. However, when evil like Team Rocket tries to interfere, will the two brothers succeed in their dreams and goals?
1. The Kanto Journey Begins! Pt 1

**Pokémon: Kanto Journey VOL. 1**

 **(I do not own Pokémon or any other series)**

 **Chapter 1: The Kanto Journey Begins! Pt. 1**

 **Two years ago...**

It was evening, with the sun setting to show night, as two boys that were at the age of eight were playing around together. They looked like twins, only except that one had raven black hair, with zigzag lines on his cheek.

The older kid had black hair as well, along with the same zigzag lines on his cheeks like his brother. They were playing around together, pretending to have battles and stuff. The black raven haired boy grinned at the thought of a Pokémon.

"Hey, Isamu! Do you think that if we're ten years old together, maybe we could go on a Pokémon journey together?" The young, raven haired boy asked, his eyes glinting with hope and determination.

The black haired one smirked back with a nod. "Of course, Ash! That's what people say! If we're ten, we're old enough to go on a journey!" Isamu, the black haired one agreed.

"Awesome! This would give me a chance to show Gary that I will be a Pokémon Master someday! I'll catch lots of Pokémon, and win the Championship League!" Ash, the raven haired one declared.

Isamu sighed, before smiling. "You're going to have to battle with me and beat me in order to get to the top, little brother." Isamu reminded, causing his twin brother to rub the back of his head.

"Y-Yeah... I guess so... Isamu?" Ash asked. The older brother blinked in confusion and responded. "Yeah?" Isamu asked. For Ash, he grew nervous of how his older twin brother was going to respond to this.

"If we are starting our journey... Would it be alright... If we... um, travel together? As brothers despite of us being rivals soon?" Ash asked, feeling nervous and hopeful at the same time.

Isamu blinked his eyes in confusion, before smiling with a sigh. "Of course, Ash. We're twin brothers, right? Even though we have to face each other, we can always travel together..." Isamu answered.

The raven haired boy grinned happily, before hugging his twin brother. "Thanks, Isamu... I'm glad we're together..." Ash replied, much to Isamu's surprise. The black haired boy blinked, before smiling.

He hugged his twin younger brother back, while rubbing the back of his head at the same time. Just then, as the two parted from their hugs, the two brothers heard a whimpering voice as they both turned around.

"Huh? What's that sound?" Ash asked. Isamu narrowed his eyes, as he saw the bushes rustling. Ash grew excited at that. "Could it be... a Pokémon?" Ash asked, feeling hopeful.

Isamu took a step close to the bushes, only for something to jump out and land on him! "Ah!" Isamu yelped as he fell to the ground on his back. "Big bro!" Ash gasped as he ran to his twin brother.

"Ow..." Isamu groaned as he rubbed the back of his head, getting up. "Isamu, are you okay?" Ash asked. "Y-Yeah... I'm fine... But, who is this?" Isamu answered, then asked.

The two boys saw a figure that was right besides Isamu's right arm. It was a Pokémon! It had brown fur all over its body, with some cream colored fur on its neck. It had pointy ears, with a bushy tail.

It groaned, feeling weak. "Ah! I-Isamu... This Pokémon is badly hurt!" Ash yelped. "I-I know that... Let's show it to Mom! Maybe she might know what to do with it..." Isamu suggested.

"Right!" Ash agreed. So, Isamu held the little Pokémon in his arms as he and his twin brother, Ash, ran to their home, hoping that their mother could help the little and hurt Pokémon.

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The four run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

The two Ketchum brothers were still running to their home with Isamu holding the little Pokémon in his arms. "Eevee..." The little Pokémon groaned, weakly snuggling onto Isamu.

"Hurry!" Ash yelled as he and his twin brother ran to their house, where they opened the door, running inside. "Mom! Mom! We need help!" Ash cried out. Delia Ketchum, the twins' mother stepped out of the living room, surprised.

"Ash! Isamu! What happened... Oh my! Is that... a Pokémon?" Delia asked, as she ran over to check the little Normal Type in Isamu's arms. "Yeah... It was hurt when it came out of the bushes..." Isamu answered.

Delia frowned as she ran back to the living room. "Just hold on! I'll get the first-aid kit!" Delia called. The two brothers followed her to the living room, sitting in the couch together.

The little one groaned, squirming. "Just hold on... Okay?" Isamu asked, cradling the little one. Few minutes later, Delia ran to the two boys with the first-aid kit, along with a Potion.

"This shouldn't take so long..." Delia assured as she cleaned the wounds of the Pokémon. It seemed to have felt it as it squirmed, whimpering in pain, as it was still asleep in Isamu's arms.

"Hold still, little guy. Our mom is helping you!" Isamu pleaded as he held the little Pokémon tighter. Soon, a few seconds later, it stopped squirming. "Wow... I just wonder who this Pokémon is..." Ash wondered.

"I think it's... it's... an Eevee? I remember the Professor Oak talk show where Prof. Oak spoke about a certain Pokémon named Eevee." Isamu answered as he thought it over.

"Cool... An Eevee?" Ash asked, amazed. Delia smiled, seeing that her two children were getting along with each other perfectly, like they always were.

 **Later...**

It was night as the two twins yawned. "Bedtime, boys!" Delia declared, gesturing the two brothers to their room. "Okay, Mom..." Ash yawned as he slowly walked to his and his older brother's room.

Delia turned to her other son, who was still watching over the Eevee. "Isamu? It's bedtime!" Delia reminded. Isamu blinked in surprise before getting up, following his twin younger brother to their room.

"S-Sorry, Mom..." Isamu apologized as he changed into his pajamas with Ash. Together, they went to their beds as their mother turned off the lights. "Sweet dreams, sweetie-pies!" Delia teased as she turned the lights off.

"Good night, Mom..." The two boys said as Delia left the room. Later, a few minutes passed as Ash whispered to his twin brother. "Hey, Isamu... Are you still awake?" Ash asked.

Isamu blinked several times before yawning. "H-Huh? What is it, Ash?" Isamu asked. "What do you think we should do with that Eevee? Should we keep it with us or just let it go?" Ash asked.

That question left Isamu stumped as he shrugged while still lying down. "Just go to sleep, Ash. We'll decide on what'll happen tomorrow..." Isamu as he closed his eyes once again.

"Sure... Brother..." Ash yawned as he closed his eyes as well. A few seconds later, the Ketchum brothers were both fast asleep, fatigued of what happened today. They hoped that tomorrow would become a better day.

 **The next morning...**

Isamu woke up to see that his twin brother was still snoozing, in a relaxing way. He smirked as he got off of his bed and walked to the living room, where he saw the little Eevee snoozing on the couch.

The little boy smiled and rubbed Eevee's head. "Now how did you get here... feeling wounded and all?" Isamu asked, causing the Eevee to squirm around in a playful way, yet still asleep.

"Isamu...?" Ash called. The eight year old turned to see his twin brother yawning, still sleepy from before. "Morning, Ash... How did you sleep?" Isamu asked. The younger brother smiled sheepishly at that.

"Not too well... I kept thinking about the Eevee that we saved... It just kept coming into my mind..." Ash explained, as he rubbed the back of his head. He walked over to where Eevee was sleeping on the couch.

"I guess you're not the only one, huh..." Isamu chuckled. He rubbed Eevee's head once again. The Evolution Pokémon gave a soft yawn, before it opened its eyes, blinking several times.

"Whoa... Eevee is waking up!" Ash exclaimed. The sudden exclamation startled the little Eevee as it squealed, almost falling off the couch, until the older brother caught it. "Whoa there..." Isamu whispered.

At the sight of the young human catching her, Eevee got out of Isamu's arms, shaking, as it was frightened to be at the presence of humans. "Is that Eevee... scared of us?" Ash asked, confused.

"What do you expect? This little guy must be scared since you yelled out loud." Isamu scolded. Ash smiled sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his head. "Oh... Sorry, big bro..." Ash apologized.

The older brother sighed before he took gentle steps, walking over to the whimpering Evolution Pokémon. "It's alright, Eevee. We're not going to hurt you. I'm Isamu. And this is my little brother, Ash!" Isamu explained.

Ash then walked over, grinning at the shy Evolution Pokémon. "Nice to meet you, Eevee! I'm sorry that I scared you." Ash apologized. Eevee still seemed scared as it closed its eyes, shaking.

"It's still scared of us!" Ash pointed out, pouting. Isamu bit his lips before he held out a hand to Eevee, who blinked for a second. "Come on, Eevee. I told you, I'm not going to hurt you." Isamu assured.

Eevee seemed reluctant, before she took a step towards the boy, nudging her nose onto his hand. "See? I told you." Isamu chuckled. At that, Eevee was still shy, but she nodded slowly.

"Wow... Big bro, Eevee is starting to get used to you!" Ash exclaimed. His loud voice caused Eevee to squeal as she whimpered once again, shaking by the presence of the younger Ketchum brother.

"Huh?... Ah!" Ash gasped, realizing too late that he was shouting. The older brother shook his head with a sigh, before smiling. "Ash... Just cool down for a bit, will you?" Isamu asked. "A-Alright..." Ash sighed.

By the time Ash's tone was calmer, Eevee stopped shaking before it slowly walked over to Isamu, nudging his right hand once again. "Eev... Eevee?" Eevee whimpered, a little frightened.

Isamu smiled as he took Eevee into his arms, smiling softly at her. "No need to worry, Eevee. You're safe here! We may not know of where you came from... But, I can tell that you're scared to be alone, right?" Isamu asked.

"Vee..." Eevee responded with a nod. Ash then stepped up, making his suggestion. "Eevee... If that's the case, would you... like to be our friend?" Ash asked, startling the Normal Type with the sudden question.

"We've never had a friend as a Pokémon before... And, you're scared of being alone, just like my big brother says, right? So... It would make sense for the three of us to be friends together, right?" Ash asked.

Eevee twitched her ears in thoughts, before she gave a glance at Isamu, who smiled with a slight nod. "Eev... Eevee!" Eevee exclaimed with a nod, smiling for the first time. "Wow! Awesome!" Ash exclaimed.

"Eevee... Welcome to the family!" Isamu praised. For the first time in her life, Eevee felt happy. She never felt so happy in her life, especially when it came to two young humans, which they asked to be friends with her.

The twins were busy welcoming the young Evolution Pokémon into the family, that they didn't notice their mother, Delia, watching them secretly as she smiled. "Oh, my little boys... They're growing up..." Delia sighed happily.

 **At the present time...**

"And Nidorino begins with a Horn Attack... Oh! But, Gengar bounces right back!" The MC announced. The crowd was cheering the two battling Pokémon as the Pokémon Tournament, known as the Indigo League was happening.

And right now, two trainers are battling against each other with their Pokémon. For Gengar, it used its move, Hypnosis, putting Nidorino into sleep. "And there it is! The Hypnosis power of Gengar!" The MC announced.

With Hypnosis done, Nidorino was unconscious, falling asleep. "It looks like this is the end for Nidorino... But, wait! The trainer recalls Nidorino! Which Pokémon will he choose now!?" The MC explained.

The trainer recalled his Poison Type back to its Pokéball, before he threw another one, summoning his new Pokémon. A giant Rock Snake Pokémon appeared, revealed to be Onix. "Oh! And it's Onix!" The MC announced.

Onix roared at Gengar before it lunged at it, before the Ghost Type managed to get away. "And the giant Pokémon is on the attack! Oh ho! And Gengar jumps aside!" The MC announced.

The battle was being seen on TV as well. As the battle on the TV went wild, a familiar boy, put on his green fingerless gloves. "Yes! I am Ash! And now that I'm ten, I can finally get my Pokémon license!" Ash said to himself.

He tied his sneakers on, looking like he was ready to head out. Ash looked much older now, as he was a ten year old. His face didn't change, but his determination was more blazing than ever.

"I will journey to gain the wisdom of Pokémon training! And I hereby declare to the Pokémon of the world... I will be a Pokémon Master! Pokémon Master... That's what I'll be!" Ash declared to himself.

He took the Voltorb ball, which was actually a clock that represented a Voltorb. As he finished, there was a clapping sound, something like an applause. Ash blinked, only to see Isamu, his older brother applauding for his declare.

"Not bad, little bro. That tells me that your determination is shocking than ever!" Isamu complimented coolly. Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, before he shrugged. "Yeah... I guess so..." Ash agreed.

But the older brother then grew stern as his face grew serious. "But it's late now. You should know that it's 11 PM, way past your bedtime, you know?" Isamu scolded, causing his younger brother to sweat drop.

"Come on... Isamu, you're only a year older than me, and you're acting just like Dad!" Ash groaned. The older brother narrowed his eyes with a sigh. "Well... You don't want to be late for tomorrow, don't you?" Isamu asked.

"Eevee!" Eevee cried out in agreement. She was on top of Isamu's left shoulder, showing the same scolding expression to Ash. "What?! Eevee, not you too..." Ash groaned. He then sighed, shaking his head.

"So you're going to go with Eevee as your first Pokémon, huh..." Ash grumbled. "Right. I just need to get my license that was promised to me. After all... I held back my journey about a year, waiting for you after all." Isamu reminded.

The younger brother blinked, before smiling sadly. It was true that his older twin brother had remained in Pallet Town, even if he was old enough to go on a Pokémon journey. "I guess so..." Ash sighed.

The older brother smiled with a nod as he took out a TV remote. "Well, Mom says that we should at least watch this before we go to bed." Isamu explained. He turned the channel to the Prof. Oak channel of where the Starter Pokémon was about to be announced.

While it's begun, Isamu closed the door behind him and stood on his bed, which was a bunk below his younger brother's. "Good evening, Pallet. Tomorrow's the big day for the new class of Pokémon students!" Prof. Oak declared.

He was on TV, showing the three pictures of each Kanto starter Pokémon. "I'd like to introduce you to... Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle! Each one is available for new trainees. Which one shall you choose?" Prof. Oak asked.

Isamu had already changed into his black pajamas as he turned to his younger brother. "Ash, change into your PJs already... If you don't want to be late for tomorrow." Isamu reminded as he got onto his bed.

"I know, big bro... I hear ya." Ash assured. Eevee yawned loudly before she got onto Isamu's bed blanket. "Tired, are you, Eevee?" Isamu asked. "Vee." Eevee replied with a nod, before nudging her trainer's chest.

"Don't worry. You can sleep all you want. I just need to get my Pokémon license tomorrow... And we'll be off! With you and I being partners!" Isamu explained. "Vee! Eevee!" Eevee exclaimed happily, as she nodded along.

For Ash, he was more focused on the three starter Pokémon that Prof. Oak was talking about. "Whoa... Those three... I just gotta get one of them..." Ash replied, feeling pumped up. Isamu secretly smiled, understanding his younger brother's excitement.

 **During the late night...**

Isamu and Eevee were sleeping peacefully together, while Ash seemed to be fidgeting around in his sleep, mumbling about the three Kanto starters. "Raising... Bulbasaur... That'd be really simple... It's perfect... for beginners..." Ash mumbled.

His mumbling woke Isamu up, as he listened to what Ash was saying. "Ash, you sleepyhead... *Sigh*..." Isamu sighed, seeing that his younger brother was sleep talking about summoning Bulbasaur.

"I choose you... Bulbasaur... Huh... And... there's... Squirtle..." Ash mumbled, causing his older brother to blink. "So it's Squirtle now? He must really be excited..." Isamu whispered, careful to not wake Eevee up.

"Choose it or lose it..." Ash snored as he fell back onto his bed, falling asleep. He seemed to have stopped dreaming, allowing Isamu to fall back asleep. _"I can't just stay awake like this... I have to be ready too..."_ Isamu thought.

He fell back asleep, sleeping peacefully. As the night goes on, the two brothers would be destined to travel together in their journey tomorrow... But, there would be complicated choices, though...

 **The next morning...**

It was morning, as Isamu yawned, stretching his arms in the air. His yawning woke his little Eevee up, as she copied her trainer's stretching, only for her to fall back. Eevee squealed a little, before sighing in relief.

"Morning, Eevee. Did you sleep well?" Isamu asked. "Eevee!" Eevee responded with a smile and a nod. The two got out of bed as Eevee stretched her body a bit more, while Isamu checked on his little brother.

"Ash? Wake up. It's time!" Isamu called. However, it proved to be futile as his younger brother was a heavy sleeper. He turned to Eevee, who shook her head with disappointment. "Huh..." Isamu sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

While his younger brother was sleeping a little, the older twin brother decided to wash up and change for the day of their journey. As he did so, he changed into his outdoor traveling outfit.

He had a gray, thin jacket, over his black shirt. He wore blue fingerless gloves, and put on his black outdoor shorts. Eevee yawned a bit, still sleepy from last night. She licked her fur for a bit, while waiting for Isamu to completely change.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash as both Isamu and Eevee turned in surprise to see the alarm clock smash to the ground from Ash's hand. "What the...!?" "Vee!?" Isamu and Eevee gasped together.

The Evolution Pokémon squealed in surprise as she leapt onto Isamu's arms, while Ash suddenly awoke in surprise. "AH! Huh... Huh..." Ash shouted in surprise, as he took deep breaths. He looked at the window, as Isamu blinked.

"Oh no! Big bro, what time is it!?" Ash yelped. The older brother frowned at him, face palming. "How am I supposed to know! Ash, you're the one that broke your alarm clock!" Isamu scolded, causing Ash to panic.

"Oh no... Oh no! Big brother, we're late! The sun is already high up!" Ash yelled. He jumped out of bed, and grabbed Isamu by the wrist, much to his older brother's surprise. "What... Hey!?" Isamu yelped.

He was dragged by his younger brother as they ran out of the house, without letting their mother know. Eevee jumped in surprise as she ran after the two brothers, running to catch up with them. "How long was I asleep, big bro!?" Ash panted.

"You were sleeping more than I was, of course!" Isamu panted as he was dragged by his younger brother, while running. "Well, why didn't you tell me!? I would've changed immediately when I woke up!" Ash whined.

"Even if I try to wake you up, you're a heavy sleeper! I can't wake you that easily, you know!" Isamu scolded. "Ah... Whatever! Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander... Anyone is fine! So please! Save one for me!" Ash prayed.

Both Isamu and Eevee sweat dropped, knowing that the possibility of Ash getting a starter Pokémon will be very unlikely due to the sun high in the sky. As they got there, there was already a crowd in front of the lab entrance.

"W-What's going on!?" Ash gasped. "Looks like someone has already got a starter Pokémon, and he or she must be leaving right now..." Isamu answered. Suddenly, there were girls cheering for a familiar someone.

"Gary, Gary! He's a man! If he can't do it, no one can!" The cheerleaders cheered. Both the Ketchuk brothers widened their eyes to hear the familiar name. "What!? Gary!?" Ash yelped in shock.

He let go of his older brother and tried to push through the crowd. "Ash! Wait!" Isamu called. But, it was too late as the younger brother pushed through the crowd and cheerleaders, as he tried to make way to the lab.

Suddenly, Ash yelped, bumping into someone. "AH! Ugh..." Ash groaned as he fell to the ground. Isamu made his way past, with Eevee on his shoulder, while the person Ash bumped into glared at the younger brother.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Gary snapped. He then smirked as he saw who it was. "Well, you must be Ash! Better late than never, I guess! At least you get the chance to meet me!" Gary teased.

Isamu helped his younger brother up as Gary blinked. "And look who's with him! His older brother, Isamu!" Gary added with a tease. "Knock it off, Gary." Isamu warned as Ash widened his eyes to see his childhood friend and rival.

"Gary!?" Ash said in surprise. "Mr. Gary to you! Show some respect!" Gary scolded. Isamu sighed, not impressed with the fake authority that Gary was making of himself. The rival sneered, putting his hands behind his back.

"Well, Ash! You snooze, you lose! You were way behind right from the start! I've got a Pokémon and you don't! Of course, your older brother has one too! With that little Eevee of his!" Gary taunted.

Eevee glared at the rival, feeling insulted for being called little. Thankfully, Isamu calmed her down, before she went to lung at the rival. For Ash, he was amazed with his rival having his starter Pokémon.

"You... got your first Pokémon?" Ash asked in surprise. Gary took out his Pokéball with a smirk. "That's right, loser! And it's right inside this Pokéball!" Gary answered as he spun his Pokéball with his finger.

"That's no surprise, considering that you're the grandson of Professor Oak." Isamu stated, as Gary blinked. "Yeah! So what if I am gramps' grandson! Besides, why are you with this loser younger brother of yours anyway?" Gary taunted.

Ash blinked in surprise as Isamu made a glare. "What was that?" Isamu said darkly. "I've heard that you became ten about a year ago! And yet, you stayed in Pallet Town just to wait for your brother! Ha!" Gary explained.

He shrugged, still holding the Pokéball in his hand. "I mean, why do that? He could only just slow you down! A perfect example can be when he's late as of now!" Gary pointed out, as Ash grew speechless with his rival's words.

"Vee..." Eevee growled angrily, not liking it when an arrogant human like Gary was insulting his trainer and his younger brother. "That's none of your concern, Gary. Shouldn't you be leaving right now?" Isamu snapped.

Gary frowned, before he scoffed. "Yeah, whatever..." Gary muttered. "Let's go, Gary, let's go!" The cheerleaders cheered one again for Gary, as well as the crowd surrounding the lab's entrance.

Gary raised his arms in the air with a proud smile on his face. "Thank you, fans! Thank you all for this great honor! I promise you that I will become a Pokémon Master and make the town of Pallet known all around the world!" Gary declared.

He raised his Pokéball into the air, as the crowd cheered even louder. The older Ketchum brother sighed at this. "This is getting too loud..." Isamu grumbled. "Eevee..." Eevee agreed, as she flattened her ears a little.

"Excuse me!" Ash called, leaving his rival to glance at him. "Yeah?" Gary called back. "I was just wondering if you could tell me what kind of Pokémon you've got!" Ash explained. Immediately, Gary scoffed, sneering at him.

"That's none of your business! If you showed up on time, you would've seen that I got the best Pokémon from Professor Oak! It's good to have a grandfather in a Pokémon business, isn't it!?" Gary taunted.

He then got onto his rich red vehicle, as the girls drove away, leaving everyone to cheer for him except for the Ketchum brothers. "Thank you for coming out to see history of the making! Now I, Gary Oak, am off to learn about the true ways of a Pokémon Trainer!" Gary exclaimed.

He left the lab entrance, with some of the people following the car. Ash gritted his teeth, feeling determined to defeat his rival someday. "Argh... I'll show you..." Ash grunted angrily. Isamu could only pat on his brother's shoulder in comfort.

"You can say that again. Maybe if you see him again, he won't stand a chance against you if you battle against each other." Isamu assured. Ash grinned and nodded. "Thanks for that, Isamu. I think I'm going to feel a lot better now." Ash thanked.

Just then, the Kanto Professor came down, noticing the two boys. "Oh? So you decided to show up after all? And along with your brother, that is!" Prof. Oak called out in surprise. At that, Ash grinned, standing in front of the Kanto Professor.

"O-Oh! Professor Oak, where's my Pokémon?" Ash asked. "YOUR Pokémon?" Professor Oak asked, confused. "Yes! I'm ready!" Ash exclaimed. Prof. Oak gave a small glance at Isamu, who rubbed his arm a bit in embarrassment.

"Well, you look like you're ready for bed, not for Pokémon training, unlike your twin brother, that is. I don't think you're going to train in your pajamas." Prof. Oak chuckled. Before Ash could explain, Isamu stepped up, placing both hands on his twin younger brother's shoulder.

"We were in a bit of a rush, Professor. But, I can tell you that my brother is ready for this chance." Isamu assured. The Kanto Professor blinked, as Ash agreed. "Yeah! What my brother says, I'm ready for a Pokémon, Professor!" Ash assured.

So, with that said, the Kanto Professor allowed the two brothers to head inside his research lab in order for Ash to pick up his license and his Pokémon. "Oh, Isamu? Your requested license is right here..." Prof. Oak explained.

He handed a red device to Isamu, who took it with thanks. "Thank you, Professor. This is a Pokédex, isn't it?" Isamu asked, as the Professor agreed. "Correct! Oh, and here are your five Pokéballs. Since Eevee is your partner, I'm well aware that you're prepared for this journey." Prof. Oak chuckled.

"Right. Thank you again, Professor." Isamu thanked with a bow. "Eevee vee!" Eevee agreed, making a small bow as well. The Professor chuckled while Ash tried to get their attention. "Professor? About my Pokémon..." Ash started.

"Ah yes! Here they are..." Professor Oak explained. He opened a device which held three Pokéballs on the table. Ash grew eager as he looked at the three Pokéballs. "I thought about it, and it took me for a long time! But, I finally decided to choose... Squirtle!" Ash declared.

He took Squirtle's named Pokéball and tried to open it. But, as the Pokéball opened, it looked to be empty! Ash gasped while Isamu blinked in surprise. "Professor, don't tell me that..." Isamu started as the Kanto Professor sighed.

"Yes... It was already taken by someone who was on time." Prof. Oak explained. The younger brother groaned as he took ahold of another Pokéball. "Oh... I wish I hadn't overslept... But now... I will choose my Pokémon as... Bulbasaur!" Ash declared.

Once again, the ball opened, only for it to be empty. "Wha!?" Ash exclaimed in shock. Isamu sweat dropped, knowing one reason for it being empty. "That one was also taken by a kid who wasn't late." Professor Oak explained.

Ash grew a little nervous as he picked the last Pokéball. "Uh... Well... That's no problem! Because my Pokémon will be... Charmander!... HUH!?" Ash started, then gasped in shock. Isamu and Eevee both fell over as Prof. Oak sighed.

"The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, a Pokémon..." Prof. Oak reminded. Ash started to feel more depressed as he turned to the Kanto Professor with a nervous look. "Does that mean all the Pokémon are gone?" Ash asked.

Isamu bit his lips, while Eevee felt bad for Ash as Prof. Oak thought it over. "Well... There is still one left, but I-" Professor Oak started, until Ash got pumped up for it. "Professor Oak, I'll take it!" Ash exclaimed.

The older brother chuckled nervously before Prof. Oak summoned another Pokéball. "I think I should warn you, there is a problem with this last one..." Prof. Oak reminded as he gave the ball to the younger brother.

"I have to have a Pokémon!" Ash declared, confident for his new starter. "Well... In that case..." Prof. Oak stuttered as he handed the ball to Ash. "Professor... What is wrong with this Pokémon?" Isamu asked, curious.

"Well... You'll find out soon." Prof. Oak assured, leaving the older brother and his Eevee confused. Just then, the Pokéball in Ash's hand opened, summoning electricity from the Pokéball, and a glowing figure.

Ash, Isamu, and Eevee were all surprised to see the power from the Pokéball. As the figure stopped glowing, a mouse-like Pokémon appeared, blinking several times, while looking at the three humans. "Pikachu." The Pokémon replied.

"This Pokémon's name is Pikachu." Prof. Oak explained. Ash was in awe while Isamu was interested. "Oh wow! It's so cute that it's the best of all!" Ash exclaimed. "You'll see..." Prof. Oak assured, causing Isamu to gulp.

"We'll see what, Professor?" Isamu asked cautiously. Prof. Oak gave a shush gesture before the younger brother gave Pikachu a welcoming hug. "Ah... Hi, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed happily as he hugged his Electric Type.

Unfortunately, Pikachu didn't seem to like the hug as he gave Ash a shock. The your other screamed in shock while the older brother widened his eyes in surprise. "What the... What's it doing that for!?" Isamu snapped.

"Well... You see... This one is a bit shy, but it can also have an electrifying personality... This Pikachu is an Electric Mouse Pokémon, of course..." Prof. Oak explained. As the Thundershock stopped, Ash groaned.

"I see what you mean..." Ash groaned. "Shocking, isn't it?" Prof. Oak asked. Isamu and Eevee both swear dropped as they nodded together. "You can say that again, Professor." Isamu sighed with a nervous laugh.

"Eevee..." Eevee sighed, sweat dropping once again. Prof. Oak cleared his throat before he handed Ash his six Pokéballs and a Pokédex. "Now, take these. Your Pokéballs and your Pokédex!" Prof. Oak replied, handing the seven items to Ash.

The younger brother struggled to take them, only for Pikachu to shock him again! Prof. Oak was zapped along, while the older brother could only watch in embarrassment along with his Evolution Pokémon.

"T-Thank... Y-You...!" Ash stuttered while being zapped. "Y-You're... W-welcome!" Prof. Oak stuttered along as he was zapped along, as well. As soon as the shocking was done, the three humans and the two Pokémon left the lab to meet the Pallet Town citizens.

There were multiple people waiting, with banners used for cheering both the Ketchum brothers. They made noises that were tried to make for instrument noises, but it only made satisfying sounds as Ash and Isamu blinked together.

"Mom!?" Ash exclaimed in surprise. "I'm guessing you called everyone out here for our departure..." Isamu chuckled. The two Ketchum brothers walked over to Delia as she smiled weekly with a nod.

"Oh, Ash... Isamu... I'm so proud for the both of you. And Isamu, I really want to thank you for how much you care about your brother for you to postpone your training journey like this..." Delia sniffed, feeling teary at this.

She held two backpacks, which seemed to be for the two brothers. The green and orange one seemed to be for Ash, while the gray and blue one seemed to be for Isamu. Delia sniffed even more as she smiled.

"You two are finally going to fulfill your dreams together and start on your Pokémon training together... But, I-I... I'm going to miss you two so much... Oh... My little boys..." Delia sobbed a little, leaving Isamu feeling sorry.

"Mom... You don't have to cry... We'd want you to smile when we leave... Just like when Dad was." Isamu reminded as Delia cleared her tears away. "You're right, honey... Now..." Delia replied, before she cleared her throat.

She gave the supplies from both Ash and Isamu's backpack to the two brothers, much to their surprise and embarrassment.

"Now, you two... I packed your sneakers and jeans, nice clean shirts and underwater, your favorite snacks, and some hot chocolates for you two, in case you want something hot. But be careful, you two, not to burn yourselves. And a pair of rubber gloves to do your laundry, and a new clothesline to hang it out to dry... And-"

Before Delia could finish, both Ash and Isamu took their backpacks away from their mother as Ash let out a complaint. Eevee giggled at how protective her best friend's mother could be when it comes to them alone.

"Mom! You're embarrassing us in front of all these people! Can't you see were both grown up now? All Pokémon Trainers can take care of themselves!" Ash reminded, leaving Isamu to chuckle nervously.

"Ash is right there, Mom. We can take care ourselves. That, we can promise." Isamu assured. "I understand... Oh? Ash, is this your Pokémon?" Delia asked. "Yep! That's my Pokémon!" Ash explained.

"And I can see that little Eevee is your first Pokémon, right, Isamu?" Delia giggled. "That's right, Mom... You know me a lot, do you?" Isamu chuckled, as he rubbed Eevee's head, causing her to moan in content.

For Pikachu, it said its name, before it scoffed, turning its head away from Ash. The younger brother blinked in annoyance before he turned to his mother in assurance. "With Pikachu at my side, I'll get all the Pokémon in my world!" Ash assured.

Delia understood that, but was confused on Pikachu staying out, along with Eevee. "I thought all Pokémon stay inside their Pokéballs... Why doesn't do the two do?" Delia asked curiously.

Ash blinked, while Isamu answered her question. "Eevee just likes to stay out with me, Mom. Right, girl?" Isamu asked, glancing at his Evolution Pokémon. "Eevee!" Eevee agreed happily and a nod.

"Oh, that's so sweet! And what about you, Ash? Doesn't this little one have a Pokéball itself?" Delia asked. The younger brother blinked before he nodded. "Oh, right... Pikachu! Get in the ball now!" Ash called.

He threw Pikachu's Pokéball at the Electric Type, only for Pikachu to deflect it back to the younger brother's hand! Ash blinked in surprise as he tried again, only for the same results to occur.

Multiple times he tried, but Pikachu kept on deflecting the Pokéball, not wanting to go in. Delia found this amusing while Isamu chuckled a little, while embarrassed at this situation.

"Oh... You're playing catch! You're friends already!" Delia giggled happily, believing that her younger son and his new Pokemon were already getting along with each other. "That's... not the case, Mom..." Isamu muttered.

"Vee..." Eevee sighed, before she settled on Isamu's left arm. Ash smirked nervously as he held his Electric Type in his arms. "Uh, yeah... Pikachu and I are pals! Right?" Ash asked the Electric Type.

But, before Pikachu could answer, Delia felt something was off with the Electric Type. "But... It's a little weird!" Delia explained, saying her insult unintentionally. "Weird?" Ash repeated in question, then gulped in a bit of panic.

For Pikachu, he was insulted for being called weird as he let out a Thundershock, shocking everyone except for Prof. Oak and Isamu as they both stepped back, along with Eevee. The citizens all screamed as they were shocked by the Thundershock attack.

"Those rubber gloves your mom packed you will come in handy!" Prof. Oak explained. "W-WHY!?" Ash yelped as he was shocked even more. "That's because rubber gloves can repel electricity, Ash!" Isamu answered.

"G-Great!" Ash stuttered before the attack had ended. All of the citizens cheering for Ash were soon lying on the ground, all groaning for being zapped with powerful electricity. Surprisingly, Delia still said her words to the two brothers.

"Don't forget to change your underwears, you two. Every single day... And Isamu? Take good care of your brother on your journey, alright?" Delia requested in reminder while in paralysis. "O-Okay..." Ash grunted in paralysis.

"Sure, Mom..." Isamu chuckled nervously as Eevee sighed. "Pikachu!" Pikachu smirked, feeling proud of itself.

 **Later...**

After saying farewell to Pallet Town and the citizens, the two Ketchum brothers were on their way to Viridian a City, which is where they planned to make a stop there. Eevee was following well, but Pikachu wasn't.

Instead, he was being dragged by Ash, much to his refusal and annoyance. The older brother frowned, seeing on how Ash was controlling Pikachu. "Is this the right way to treat Pikachu, Ash?" Isamu asked seriously.

His younger brother frowned, before he turned to his Electric Type. "Pikachu, are you going to be like this the whole way?" Ash asked, feeling a chance coming by. Pikachu only turned his head away with a scoff.

The younger brother knelt down to Pikachu's level, with a frown. "Is it because you don't like me?" Ash asked. This time, Pikachu responded by making a small nod. "Pika Pika." Pikachu answered.

Eevee sighed sadly as Ash tried to explain to his partner. "Well, I like you a lot! And since you're the Pokémon that I'm training, don't you think you could be a little nicer and just open your mouth and tell me what's wrong?" Ash asked.

At that request, Pikachu opened his mouth wide, causing Isamu to sweat drop. "That's... not how he meant it, Pikachu." Isamu reminded with a sigh. "Eev..." Eevee agreed, glancing at the Electric Type with little disappointment.

"So, Pikachu... Is your name is what you could only say?" Ash asked. "Ka." Pikachu nodded in answer. The younger brother cleared his throat and made his reasoning with the Electric Type.

"Well then, you're just like all Pokémon and you should act like one, and get inside the Pokéball, just like it says in the Pokédex." Ash explained. Isamu watched as his younger twin brother turned on the Pokédex for details.

 _"While being trained, a Pokémon usually_ _stays inside its Poké Ball."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed. "See?" Ash replied, showing it to Pikachu. Isamu chuckled before he showed his Pokédex to Ash. "Not quite, Ash... Listen to this." Isamu called.

The younger brother blinked before he heard more of the Pokéball details. _"However, there are many exceptions. Some Pokémon hate being confined."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed. Pikachu seemed satisfied with that kind of details.

"Okay then! This ought to make things better!" Ash replied. He untied Pikachu from the clothesline and even took off his rubber gloves. "And I'll also get rid of these, too!" Ash assured, putting the gloves down.

He then made a finger, pointing to Pikachu, hoping he would accept the friendly gesture. "How's that?" Ash asked. "Pi!" Pikachu answered, turning away, not feeling satisfied even with that. "Still not good enough?" Ash asked.

"Pika..." Pikachu agreed. The two brothers and Eevee sighed together, all wondering on what they should do with this stubborn Electric Type Pokémon. Just then, they all heard footsteps coming from behind them.

They all turned to see a familiar bird Pokémon, which Ash and Isamu noticed together. "Big bro... Isn't that...?" Ash started. "Yeah. It's a wild Pidgey." Isamu answered. Ash took out his Pokédex, scanning it.

Isamu did the same, as they scanned the little Flying Type. _"Pidgey is a Tiny Pigeon Pokémon. Among all the Flying Pokémon, it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. A perfect target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer_ _to test his Pokémon's skills."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed.

 _"Pidgey's Gust power creates tornadoes. It also has a Sand-Attack_ _."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed. "That's no surprise, considering what the Pokédex says here..." Isamu muttered, before he glanced at the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 2: The Kanto Journey Begins! Pt. 2**

 **Chapter 3: The Pokémon Center Operation!**

 **Chapter 4: An Evil Force!? Team Rocket Appears!**

 **Chapter 5: Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!**

 **Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Ash: Alright! Let's get going, Isamu! Pikachu! Our first step as Pokémon Masters begin today!... Maybe...

Isamu: You have a long way to become a Pokémon Master, Ash... One of the steps is to get Pikachu to trust you...

Ash: Maybe... Ah! What the... Spearow!? No... There's more of them!... Hey! Leave Pikachu alone right now!

Misty: You both have to get to the Pokémon Center... Ah, hey! Kid! That's my bike!

Ash: I need to borrow it! Pikachu, just hang in there! We'll be at the Pokémon Center soon, okay?

Isamu: Okay... This isn't good... Those Spearow flocks are getting closer! Ash... GET DOWN!


	2. The Kanto Journey Begins! Pt 2

**Chapter 2: The Kanto Journey Begins! Pt. 2**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", Isamu Ketchum and Ash Ketchum were both preparing for their Pokémon journey tomorrow, as they were to get their Pokédex license tomorrow, along with Ash's first Pokémon. Their family pet chose to stay with Isamu, as he held himself back from going on a journey with the promise he made with Ash.

Unfortunately, as the next morning rose up, while Isamu was ready, Ash wasn't as he had overslept, forcing him to run out in his pajamas, dragging his twin older brother and Eevee along for the run! As they reached the lab, they confronted Gary, who insulted Ash before leaving. Professor Oak invites the brothers in, with Ash choosing his Pokémon.

As the journey began, Ash was forced to choose Pikachu, since all the other starter Pokémon were taken. With the Pallet Town townspeople saying their goodbyes to the two brothers, Ash and Pikachu didn't get along very well, due to Pikachu not liking Ash at all at first. Then, their teamwork is put to a test as a wild Pidgey appears!

They all turned to see a familiar bird Pokémon, which Ash and Isamu noticed together. "Big bro... Isn't that...?" Ash started. "Yeah. It's a wild Pidgey." Isamu answered. Ash took out his Pokédex, scanning it. Isamu did the same, as they both scanned the little Flying Type.

 _"_ _Pidgey is a Tiny Bird Pokémon. Among all the Flying Pokémon, it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. A perfect target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer_ _to test his Pokémon's skills."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed. _"Pidgey's Gust power creates tornadoes. It also has a Sand-Attack_ _."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed along.

"That's no surprise, considering what the Pokédex says here..." Isamu muttered, before he glanced at the Tiny Bird Pokémon. But for Ash, he seemed interested as he grinned. "That's great... Heh... It's our lucky day! Pikachu! Go get it!" Ash called. But to his dismay, the Electric Type scoffed, turning his head away in refusal.

"Chu..." Pikachu grumbled. Isamu and Eevee sweat dropped together as the Kanto trainer grew confused. "Uh... Huh? Aren't you ever gonna to listen to me?" Ash groaned in announce. "Chu." Pikachu confirmed, keeping his head away from his new trainer. "But why not?" Ash asked, wanting to know. But, instead of getting an answer, Pikachu ran off, climbing a tree instead.

He then gave a large yawn, causing Eevee to slump down on her trainer's left shoulder. "Vee..." Eevee sighed in disappointment. "Ignore him, Eevee... You'll get used to his behavior eventually." Isamu assured, as he rubbed Eevee's head. The Normal Type Pokémon then grinned sheepishly, moaning comfortably.

All the younger Ketchum brother could do was watch in jealousy. "Hrrgh... It's not fair! You have Eevee listening to you all the time while I've got Pikachu who won't listen to a single word I say!" Ash complained, as he puffed his cheeks out. The older twin brother glanced at Ash, before looking at him seriously with a sigh.

"If you want to catch Pidgey that badly, why not borrow Eevee? I'm sure she won't mind. Right, girl?" Isamu asked, stroking his Eevee's ears. "Eevee! Eevee!" Eevee confirmed with a nod. But with the offer still standing, Ash took a step back, declining the offer. "No thanks, big bro. I've got this!" Ash assured with a determined look on his face.

That caught Isamu by surprise as he folded his arms with a frown. "You sure? I mean, you need to use a Pokémon to battle against it. Like with Pikachu or Eevee for example." Isamu explained. "No way! Besides, I get Pikachu's message! I don't need his help or want it! I can get Pidgey myself for sure!" Ash assured with a fist.

The older brother widened his eyes for a moment, before he sighed. This was going to be a long journey with his younger brother's stubbornness around. And with Pikachu disobeying him right away, this was going to be twice as difficult to head for the first Pokémon Gym. "Ugh..." "Vee..." Isamu and Eevee sighed together.

With that said, the two laid their backs against the tree (the same Pikachu is on), watching Ash make his attempt on catching a wild Pidgey. "Humor me, Ash. How are you planning to capture Pidgey?" Isamu asked sternly. He folded his arms, watching his younger brother face the wild Flying Type. "Just watch me, big bro! And I'll show you!" Ash assured.

He took an empty Pokéball from his belt and enlarged it to prepare it for a capture. "I told you this before... I've pledged to get all the Pokémon in the world. Now I'm ready to take the next step... to become a Pokémon Master!" Ash declared. Just as the Pokéball enlarged itself, Isamu blinked, before widening his eyes, knowing what his brother was planning to do.

"Enjoy your last moments of freedom, Pidgey! Because you're mine!" Ash declared. He twisted his cap around backwards, as he attempted to throw a Pokéball at it. "Pokéball, go!" Ash called, as he threw his Pokéball at the Flying Type. "Ash, no! Not when it's completely healthy!" Isamu warned, but it was too late to warn him.

The ball was thrown, as it hit Pidgey. The ball sucked the Tiny Bird Pokémon inside, looking like it was captured. "I did it! See, Isamu? I can do it just fine without Eevee's help or Pikachu's!" Ash assured. "I'm not so sure about that, little bro. Look again." Isamu pointed out, as he pointed to the shaking Pokéball. "Huh?" was all Ash could say as he turned around.

The ball shook a several times, but it opened again! The ball flew back to Ash as he caught it, revealing the Pidgey that was thought to have been caught. The Kanto trainer groaned, dismayed of his first failure. "Ugh... I blew it..." Ash groaned. At seeing the failure, Pikachu giggled, believing that it was funny. His giggling caught Eevee's attention as he glared at the Electric Type.

"Vee..." Eevee growled. She can be NOT happy when her two human friends are being laughed at or insulted at. _"To capture a Pokémon, you usually have your own Pokémon to battle with the other."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed. "Now he tells me..." Ash groaned in annoyance. The older brother could only sweat drop, knowing that it was one basic step.

"Pika ha ha ha ha!" The Electric Type laughed, as it looked like it was enjoying this moment right now. "Eevee..." Eevee growled, as she glared at the laughing Electric Type Pokémon. Ash, on the other hand, sighed, seeing that he failed on his first try. "That's really unfortunate for you, you know, little bro?" Isamu said, feeling sorry for Ash.

"I guess so... But, with Pikachu not listening to me, I've got to do everything myself!" Ash sighed, irritated at this situation. But, as he looked past his older brother and where his backpack was, an idea popped out of Ash's head. "Wait! I've got an idea!" Ash exclaimed. At that, he opened his backpack, taking out his a little burnt pajamas out, startling Isamu.

He knew what his young twin brother was planning to do. "Ash. Please don't tell me you're..." Isamu started, knowing where this was going. "I have to, Isamu. It's my only choice right now!" Ash persisted. "You do realize that I could lend you Eevee? Maybe that would make things much more easier?" Isamu offered once more.

That, however, was rejected by his younger brother once again. "No thanks. I want to do things my way, Isamu. Even if it means without using Pikachu's help!" Ash insisted. He then took the pajamas away, before approaching Pidgey very slowly. "Okay... Be quiet... There's nothing to be afraid of..." Ash whispered as he crept even closer to the wild Pidgey.

The older twin brother could only watch in disappointment, seeing how far this method of capturing was going. "Why do I even bother offering..." Isamu grumbled. "Eevee..." Eevee comforted, rubbing her cheek against Isamu's left cheek. The comforting caused the older Ketchum brother to smile as he rubbed Eevee's head back in thanks.

"I'M SORRY, BUDDY- Whoa... Whoa! WHOA! What's with the wind! Gah!" Ash yelled, before he yelped, falling back to the ground on his back. Isamu blinked, before running over to his younger brother in concern. "Ash! You alright?" Isamu asked. "Yeah... I'm fine, big bro... But, what just happened?" Ash asked, confused of what just occurred.

Isamu took out his Pokédex, scanning Pidgey for its moves. "That was a Gust attack... That really blew you away, you know." Isamu answered. "Vee Vee..." Eevee agreed with a frown. But suddenly, a huge cloud of dust and sand came to the Ketchum brothers' way as they gasped before they were hit by the attack!

"AH!" "GAH!" The two brothers yelped, while Eevee squealed in shock. As the dust cleared, they could only watch Pidgey fly away, escaping the two boys and Eevee. "Ugh... And that was...?" Ash asked, with his brother answering once more. "That was... ugh... Sand-Attack." Isamu answered, annoyed with the sand in his hair.

He dusted himself off, before getting up. As the younger brother got up, he npticed Pikachu snickering at him again! It looked like it was trying hard not to laugh. This made the young trainer frustrated, before he gasped. "Huh... Hey!? Get out of there!" Ash snapped, as he chased another wild Pokémon away, as he snatched his bag away from it.

It looked like a purple rat, as it scurried away, before hissing at the younger Ketchum brother. The older brother took out his Pokédex, scanning the rat-like Pokémon. _"A Mouse Pokémon, Rattata. It likes cheese, nuts, fruits, and berries."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed, much to Ash's confusion as he glanced at his brother's Pokédex.

"Hold on... This isn't a forest! It's an open field!" Ash complained. At the complaint, the Pokédex responded to Ash's complaint. _"It also comes out to open fields to steal food from **stupid** travelers." _ The Pokédex buzzed. The last detail left the Ketchum brothers sweat dropping. "Say what...?" Isamu asked, his eyes twitching in annoyance.

"That means... I'm stupid?" Ash asked, bewildered of what the Pokédex said as well. Pikachu then began to laugh hysterically at that, enjoying the humiliation of his new 'trainer' even more. But, that all stopped as Eevee shrieked at the Electric Type. "Eevee! Ee! Vee! Eevee!" Eevee scolded the Electric Type, much to Pikachu's startle.

"What's Eevee saying, big bro?" Ash asked, not understanding Eevee's words. "Sounds like she's scolding Pikachu, telling him not to insult you. Isn't that right, girl?" Isamu asked, stroking Eevee's ear. "Eevee..." The Evolution Pokémon confirmed with a nod, leaving the younger brother touched. "Aw... Thanks, Eevee..." Ash thanked happily.

He hugged Eevee, startling her, until she became used to it. "Vee..." Eevee sighed, seeing that she had done well, defending her human friend. At the sight of that, Pikachu looked down at his trainer, pouting a little, which Isamu noticed. "Seems to me you're pretty jealous. Right, Pika?" Isamu teased, which Pikachu immediately denied.

"Chu!" Pikachu denied, causing the older twin brother to sigh. "Pidgey." "Pidgey." Chirps were heard as the two boys and their Pokémon turned their attention. There were several more Pidgeys up ahead! At seeing them, Isamu watched as his younger brother picked up a rock and aimed it at the Pidgeys! "Ash, what are you- Don't do that!" Isamu snapped.

At the sudden scolding, Ash yelped, forcing him to throw it far away from the Pidgeys. "Come on, Isamu! What did you do that for!?" Ash complained. "Throwing rocks at Pokémon can cause big issues if they hit. I'll show you how to catch a Pokémon in a real way." Isamu assured. He glanced at Eevee, who grinned, looking like she was ready to go.

"Um... Big bro?" Ash started, until Isamu cleared his throat, calling out to one of the Pidgeys. "Hey! You! Pidgey in the middle!" Isamu called. The middle Pidgey blinked, before turning its attention towards Isamu and Eevee. "Eevee and I challenge you to a battle! What do you say, Pidgey?" Isamu called, much to Ash's surprise.

"Eevee! Eevee!" Eevee challenged, as the young Ketchum brother sighed. "Come on... There's no way that could actually..." Ash started, until he was cut off by a challenging chirp. "Pidgey!" Pidgey chirped, determined to win a battle. "...work?" Ash finished in shock, as he was bewildered of what he was seeing right now.

 _"Well, this is a surprise. I was expecting it to fly away, since the Pokédex also said that Pidgey didn't like to fight. But, I guess this one is an exception... which is a perfect opponent for me and Eevee!"_ Isamu thought with a smirk. "Alright. We'll start things off! Eevee, use Quick Attack!" Isamu called, aiming at Pidgey for the target.

"Eevee!" Eevee growled as she dashed forward. As she ran, she grew faster and faster, until she only looked like a blur to a naked eye. "Whoa! Eevee's going really fast!" Ash cried out in amazement. Even Pikachu looked amazed as he watched the battle going on. For the battle, Pidgey was hit several times, back and back by Quick Attack.

Eventually, the Quick Attack stopped, as Eevee smirked at her opponent. As for Pidgey, it grew annoyed, as it blew a Gust attack! A small twister was headed straight for Eevee, forcing the older Ketchum brother to call an evasion move. "It's using Gust! Dodge it!" Isamu called. With a nod, Gust was missed, since Eevee had dodged.

But, right at that moment, Pidgey took this chance, hitting Eevee with a Tackle attack! "Oh no! Eevee!" Ash gasped. Isamu gritted his teeth in annoyance, before calling out a counterattack. "We're not through yet, Eevee! Pay it back with your Tackle attack!" Isamu called. Understanding her trainer's frustration, Eevee let out a shriek.

She bashed Pidgey hard, hard enough to nearly knock it out. Pidgey chirped in shock as it fell back, too shocked to move. At this moment, the older Ketchum brother took out a Pokéball, enlarging it. "Alright, here goes! You're mine, Pidgey! Pokéball, go!" Isamu yelled. He threw the Pokéball at the knocked out Flying Type.

The ball sucked Pidgey inside, similar to what Ash's Pokeball did. The ball shook several times, causing for both Isamu and Eevee to watch nervously as the ball kept shaking. Ash and Pikachu watched as well, until the ball stopped shaking with a click. At the sound of the click, Isamu smiled, knowing that the capture was a success as he held the ball up in the air in triumph.

"We got a new friend! We caught a Pidgey!" Isamu called. "Eevee!" Eevee cheered, seeing that they caught a new ally and a friend for their journey. At the success, the younger Ketchum brother gaped at his twin older brother succeeding in his capture. "No way..." Ash gasped. At seeing his younger brother shocked, Isamu walked over, chucking.

"What do you think? This is how you catch a Pokémon in battle. Rather than trapping it with your pajamas or throwing rocks at it, I think this would be the best method to do it." Isamu explained. The lecture caused the younger Ketchum brother to pout, before he spotted a shadowed Pokémon behind his brother. He frowned, knowing how Isamu caught Pidgey.

But, with the way things are, he had to take desperate measures. He picked up another rock, which his older brother noticed. "Ash... I thought I said no?" Isamu scolded, causing the younger brother to sweat drop. "Come on, Isamu! It'll be just this last time! Please!" Ash pleaded, showing his sparkly eyes to his older brother.

Attempting to resist the cute look his younger brother was giving him, Isamu twitched his eyes in annoyance, before he sighed, face palming. "Alright... Just this last time... But if something bad happens, I won't hold back on taking out my little anger on you, alright?" Isamu warned, causing the younger Ketchum brother to blink, before he smiled nervously.

"O-Okay..." Ash agreed. At that, he turned his attention back to the shadowed Pokémon before he aimed the rock at the unknown bird Pokémon. "I got you this time... HAH!" Ash yelled. He threw the rock in the air, which bounced right off of the bird Pokémon's head! "I've got it!" Ash exclaimed, seeing his first hit.

But what Ash didn't know was, was that he made a very big mistake. It wasn't a Pidgey, but a very different Pokémon! It angrily turned to the Ketchum brothers with a small glint of tear in its eyes, angry for getting hit by the rock. Isamu widened his eyes and sweat dropped, knowing this meant trouble... The trouble Ash was oblivious on.

"I wonder what that is..." Ash said, taking out his Pokédex. He scanned the angry bird Pokémon, as Eevee whimpered, hiding inside Isamu's jacket. _"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Unlike Pidgey, Spearow has a terrible attitude. It is very wild and will sometimes attack other Pokémon and humans."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed.

That caught the young Ketchum brother's attention as he gasped, before gulping. Suddenly, at the Spearow diving towards his younger brother, Isamu quickly held Ash down, to prevent him from getting hit by Spearow's attacks. "GET DOWN!" Isamu snapped, as he put his brother's head down in warning, which caused Ash to yelp.

As the Spearow flew back up in the air, the two boys faced the Spearow as it aimed to attack again! Ash quickly ran to his backpack and held it to defend himself, by blocking Spearow's diving Peck attacks. "Ah! Isamu! What should I do!?" Ash gasped. Isamu gritted his teeth, as he took out Pidgey's Pokéball, but remembered about its conditions.

 _"Argh... If I send Pidgey out right now, then it could be easily knocked out with the remaining health it has...!"_ Isamu thought, before he looked back at the angry Spearow. For some reason, instead of targeting Ash now, it began to target Pikachu as its foe! "Ash! Get Pikachu out of there!" Isamu yelled, startling Ash for a moment.

"Huh!?" Ash was too shocked to do anything until he npticed Spearow attempting to harm his Electric Type! It dove down multiple times, attempting to use Peck or Fury Attack onto the Mouse Pokémon. "Hey! Leave Pikachu alone! It didn't throw the rock at you!" Ash snapped angrily. That was when the Pokédex gave some new information.

 _"Wild Pokémon tend to be jealous of human trained Pokémon."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed. "We're aware of that now, since it targeted Pikachu instead of us!" Isamu grunted. Eevee peeked out of her trainer's jacket, as she glared at the Spearow attacking her new friend and comrade. "Eevee! Eevee!" Eevee shrieked, warning Spearow to not harm Pikachu.

Spearow glanced at who yelled at it, before it no ticked Eevee glaring at him, as it scoffed. Once a new prey has come out, then that prey has to pay the price! But, that proved to be only a distraction as Pikachu charged up its electricity! It blasted the angry Tiny Bird Pokémon away with a Thundershock attack, much to its surprise and pain.

The Spearow shrieked in pain as it fell to the ground, looking defeated for a moment. "Oh wow! You've got it!" Ash exclaimed. Isamu sighed in relief for a moment, until he noticed the Spearow still moving! It was apparently not knocked out yet as it glared at the the boys, Eevee, and Pikachu, as it screeched loudly to a tree up ahead.

At that, a bunch of other Spearow started to appear, all targeting the Ketchum brothers and their two starters! "Huh!? Uh oh..." Was all Ash could say as Isamu widened his eyes as he backed up. "Argh! That little... We have to run for it! Come on!" Isamu called. "Ah! Okay!" Ash agreed as he grabbed his backpack.

With that agreed, the Ketchum brothers ran with Eevee and Pikachu at their side as fast as they could, trying to do everything they can to escape the Spearow. They ran past some wild Sandshrews, and some wild Mankeys. Most of the wild Pokémon in Route 1 just watched the two humans being chased by a flock of Spearows.

To the two brothers, as Isamu looked up, he widened his eyes, before narrowing his eyes in frustration. "Argh, damn it! They're gaining on us! Try to run faster, Ash!" Isamu warned. "Huff... Huff... I'm running as fast as I can, big bro!" Ash panted as he tried to pick up the pace. Eevee and Pikachu ran faster as well, not wanting to deal with a dangerous flock.

The younger Ketchum brother turned to his running Pikachu, trying to make a promise to the Electric Type. "Huff... Huff.. Don't worry, Pikachu! No matter what, I'll always be there to protect you!" Ash promised, while running. Isamu blinked at the promise, until Pikachu ran up ahead of boys, apparently ignoring Ash once more.

"WHA!? Hey! Don't run up ahead! I said that I would protect- GAH!" Ash started, then yelped as he felt a Peck attack hit him on the head. Some of the Tiny Bird Pokémon pecked Isamu's head as well, much to his annoyance. "Argh! Get off of me, you hot tempered bird Pokémon!" Isamu snapped angrily. He took off his jacket and tried to shoo them away.

Eevee, in the meantime, attempted to fatigue the flock by bashing past them with Tackle and Bite! Some of the Flying Types were knocked out, while a few were injured. But, some other Flying Types struck back, pecking Eevee while tackling her at the same time! The Evolution Pokémon squealed in pain, much to Isamu's horror as he angrily shooed them away.

"You little-! Get away from her!" Isamu snapped. His yelling startled some of them as the older Ketchum brother picked Eevee up. She didn't seem to take so much damage... only nicked as it is. "You okay, Eevee!?" Isamu panted. "Vee..." Eevee replied sadly with a nod, before she broke down, burying her face onto Isamu's chest.

"Ash! Pikachu!? Where are you two!?" Isamu called, annoyed with the Spearows blocking his view. "Isamu! We're right here!" Ash yelled back. Hearing his brother's voice, Isamu searched until he noticed Ash shooing some Spearows away while grabbing a severely injured Pikachu in his arms. Isamu quickly ran to Ash, while tying his jacket to his waist at the same time.

He widened his eyes, noticing Pikachu's condition. "Oh no... This is bad... Pikachu needs medical attention, right now!" Isamu snapped. Ash widened his eyes in horror, but it was interrupted by the Spearow. They were still planning to attack as they angrily flew towards the two brothers.

Ash, Isamu, and Eevee could only gasp in horror, until the older brother grabbed Ash's left arm, before pulling him away. "This way!" Isamu snapped. With the order called, Ash ran with his older brother, as they both attempted to escape the Spearows once again. As they ran, they pushed past the bushes, only to discover a cliff and a small waterfall up ahead of them!

The two brothers stopped, realizing how high the height was, until their thoughts were taken over by the Spearows. The angry Flying Types were gaining on them, as Isamu gritted his teeth. The only way to escape from them is to jump... even if meant a sucidial jump. "Ash... We have to jump. You think you can handle that?" Isamu asked sternly.

Ash widened his eyes, startled that his twin older brother would suggest something suicidal, before he nodded. "Y-Yeah... I'm ready." Ash answered. Isamu nodded back, as the brothers grabbed each others' hands tightly. Eevee braced herself for impact as she pressed herself onto Isamu's face, scared, but ready.

"Okay... On the count of three... One... Two... THREE!" Isamu yelled. With that, the two brothers jumped into the stream, only for them to be dragged away by the powerful stream currents. As they were dragged across the river, a Gyarados was coming to their way! Ash gasped as he swam out of the way to the right, while Isamu went to the left.

At that point, the brothers were separated as they were dragged down the current. That was when until Isamu narrowly opened his eyes to see a rock, as he grabbed it, pulling himself off the stream and onto the dry land. The older Ketchum brother panted, as Eevee got out of Isamu's jacket as she panted as well.

She wasn't used to be in underwater for so long. She shook her fur dry before she looked at Isamu in concern. "Eevee?" Eevee asked in concern. "Ngh... Yeah... I'm... I'm okay." Isamu answered. Before the Evolution Pokémon could protest, a girl approached the two, looking concerned for both Isamu and Eevee.

"Oh no! Are you two alright!?" The girl asked. Isamu coughed some water, before he looked up. The girl had orange hair, but looked a bit tomboy-ish. "Yeah... I'm... Wait, where's Ash!? Where's my brother!?" Isamu started, before he realized who was missing. Before the girl could ask who Ash was, she blinked, hearing a strange sound behind her.

She turned to see her fishing rod moving, meaning that something was caught on her rod. "Ah! Hey, I've got a bite! Wow, I really think this could be a big one!" The girl exclaimed. Isamu narrowed his eyes on the girl tugging on her fishing rod. "Wait... Isn't that...!?" Isamu started, until his words were interrupted by a startled yell.

What the girl fished out wasn't a Water Type Pokémon... It was Ash! The younger Ketchum brother let out a hell for being fished out high in the air, until he fell onto the ground, right next to where Eevee was! "Nah... It's just some..." The girl started, until Isamu ran up to Ash. "Ash! Pikachu! Are you two alright!?" Isamu cried, as he knelt down to his younger brother.

But just as he noticed Pikachu all battered up, he widened his eyes. Eevee ran up to Isamu's left shoulder as the older twin brother felt Pikachu's forehead. "...!" Isamu could only widen his eyes when he felt it hot. "Oh!? Hey... Are you alright!?" The girl asked, looking down at the younger Ketchum brother and Pikachu.

While Isamu remained silent, his younger brother coughed some water, before looking up at the orange-haired girl. "Yeah... I'm okay..." Ash answered, only for the girl to snap. "Not you! Look at what you've done to that poor thing!? Is it breathing?" The girl asked, causing Ash to sweat drop. Before he could answer, Isamu gave the answer.

"Barely... It has a fever... A very high one." Isamu answered darkly as he stood up. Both the girl and Ash widened their eyes as she turned to the Ketchum brothers. "Well, don't just stand there then, you two! That Pokémon needs a doctor right away! There's a medical center not too far from here!" The girl scolded, causing Isamu to look at her.

"Do you mean a Pokémon Center? Which way is it!?" Isamu asked. The girl blinked in surprise, before she pointed to the direction where it could be. "That way." The girl answered, pointing to a route behind the two brothers. But, just as the two brothers could get moving, they heard a familiar squawking noise from behind.

The three humans and Eevee all turned to see the Spearow flock flying towards them! Immediately, at the sight of them, Ash panicked as he ran up the hill, where a bike was. "They're coming back! Run!" Ash yelped frantically as he climbed onto the bike. "H-Hey! What are you doing!?" The girl snapped, realizing that the boy was getting on her bike.

"But... Hey, that's my bike!" The girl snapped, as Ash began to ride away from it. "I'll give it back someday! Promise!" Ash assured as he rode away as fast as he could. "Ash, wait!" Isamu called, but it was too late. His twin younger brother was gone, along with his injured partner Pokémon. "Oh... You!" The girl snapped, angry that Ash rode off with her bike.

Turning back to where the Spearow are coming from, Isamu glanced at Eevee, who nodded to him in determination. At seeing her expression, Isamu nodded back before he began to run as well, following to where Ash rode off. "Ah, hey! Where are you going!?" The girl cried, noticing Isamu running off as well.

"I can't let my little brother take all of this by himself! I have to go help him!" Isamu answered as he ran off, leaving the girl bewildered and speechless. "An older sibling taking care of his younger sibling..." The girl whispered, putting a hand over her heart.

Later, as the older twin brother ran with Eevee on his shoulder, he noticed some Spearow flying towards him! There were only a few, as Isamu realized most went after Ash. "Damn it! Just give us a break already, you pesky Spearows!" Isamu snapped angrily, as he picked up the pace. Just as he ran faster, a storm began to brew up.

Rain began to pour down, slowing Isamu a little. As he looked back again, the Spearows were getting closer! "Drat... If I can't outrun them... Then, we'll have to fight! Can you do it, Eevee!?" Isamu asked, skidding to a stop. "Eevee! Vee!" Eevee answered with a nod. Seeing the two 'mices' stop, the Spearow stopped their chase and prepared for battle.

"Pidgey, lend us your strength!" Isamu called, as he summoned Pidgey out of the Pokeball. The Tiny Bird Pokémon, who seemed to look battered faced the Spearows, with Eevee at his side. "Pidgey... I know that you still seem tired after that battle with Eevee, but... I need your strength for this battle! Can you do it!?" Isamu requested.

Immediately at his question, Pidgey chirped with a nod, as he was also determined to win a battle, after losing once. "Okay... Let's go!" Isamu bellowed as lightning flashed across the sky. At the flash, two of eight Spearows dove in, attempting to strike at their enemies. "Eevee! Counter them with Quick Attack! And Pidgey, you use Gust!" Isamu yelled.

At the incoming and angry Flying Types, Eevee ran up, bashing past one Spearow multiple times, causing it to shriek in pain. As for the other, Pidgey quickly evaded the Peck attack, allowing him to blow Spearow to a tree with Gust! The Gust did its work, slamming the agitated Tiny Bird Pokémon to a tree, knocking it out.

At seeing their comrades taken down, the other six Spearows shrieked in battle cry, as they attempted to peck their enemies as well. "Come at us all you want! It won't make a difference! Eevee! Prove that we're right with Quick Attack! Then, wrap this up with Tackle!" Isamu yelled, pointing at the Flying Type enemies.

Trusting her trainer's words, Eevee let out a battle cry, bashing some with Quick Attack, while smashing the others with Tackle. "Pidgey! Help Eevee with your Quick Attack! Then, blow them away with Gust!" Isamu yelled, pointing at the weakened Flying Types. Pidgey chirped loudly in determination, as he obeyed.

Once again, the agitated Flying Types were bashed away by the Quick Attack in high speed, knocking a few out, leaving only two Spearows to defeat. Seeing his prey, Pidgey flapped his wings, blowing a powerful Gust attack at the remaining Spearows. At the powerful wind, the Spearows chirped in despair, as they were blown far away from Isamu's sight.

"Huff... Huff..." Isamu panted. Just as he was about to continue running with Pidgey returned, something loud and big caught his attention. "Pika...CHUUUU!" Pikachu's voice could be heard, along with a massive amount of electricity shooting out from everywhere! Isamu, Eevee, and Pidgey all turned to see where the electricity was coming from.

"That voice... That was Pikachu... But, that could only mean... Ash!?" Isamu gasped. He quickly returned Pidgey back to its Pokéball as he and Eevee ran as fast as they could to where they saw the Thundershock attack. As they were getting closer, the rain had suddenly stopped, turning into a bright, sunny day once again.

As Isamu and Eevee ran to the spot where they saw the Thundershock attack, they both were widened their eyes, as Isamu's face paled. His twin younger brother was lying on the wet and muddy ground, looking all bruised up, with Pikachu weakly laying on his left. The bike Ash took from the girl earlier was burnt and destroyed, seemingly destroyed by Thundershock.

"Ash!" Isamu cried frantically as he ran to his little brother. He quickly ran to Ash's side, holding his head up a little, enough to catch Ash's attention. The younger Ketchum brother weakly opened his eyes, noticing his older brother's figure, which became clear in his eyes. "Big... bro...?" Ash whispered weakly, causing Isamu to smile.

"Yeah... It's me, little brother... I'm sorry I couldn't make it in time." Isamu apologized, feeling half relieved and half guilty for not saving his little twin brother in time. At the same time, Eevee nudged Pikachu's head, licking his cheek in comfort. "Vee? Eevee?" Eevee asked in concern, as she nudged Pikachu's face one more time.

"Pika..." Pikachu replied back weakly, as he heard Eevee's concern. Eevee smiled softly, relieved to see her Electric Type companion alright, despite of him being injured at the time. Just as the four were enjoying their reunion, they all heard a screeching noise from above, causing the two boys and their two starters to look up and see what it was.

It seemed to be a large, golden bird Pokémon, who was passing a rainbow up above. All Isamu and Ash could do was watch in awe, the same going for both Pikachu and Eevee. "What... is that?" Ash asked. He looked to see his opened up Pokédex, which explained about the golden Pokémon, only to reveal a surprising fact.

"There is no data. There is still Pokémon yet to be identified." Ash's Pokédex buzzed. Isamu blinked, before taking out his Pokédex, only to receive the same information. But suddenly, as Isamu looked back up, a name came to his mind. "Ho-Oh..." Isamu whispered, getting Ash's attention. "Huh? Who?" Ash asked, confused.

"Ho-Oh... That's the Pokémon's name... I don't know how, but... I just know it..." Isamu answered, much to Ash's amazement. "Wow..." Ash said in awe. Pikachu and Eevee both looked up in awe as well, until the silhouette of Ho-Oh disappeared, causing the rainbow to disappear as well. At seeing Ho-Oh vanish, Isamu turned back to his little brother.

"Alright... Let's get moving, Ash. Both Pikachu and Eevee really need some help. There should be a Pokémon Center at that city over there." Isamu grunted as he got up, as he helped Ash up, too. "Mm... You're right..." Ash agreed, still worried on how his Electric Type Pokémon was feeling. He picked his injured Electric Type, with Isamu doing the same for Eevee.

And so, with that said, the two Ketchum brothers continued their way into Viridian City, where they would find a Pokémon Center to put for Pikachu and Eevee, as they had fought hard against the Spearows to protect their trainers. What the boys doesn't know, is that something unpleasamt come to their way.

But for now, the two brothers walk, remembering their first experiences as Pokémon Trainers, as they felt it with Pikachu and Eevee. It's to risk your life for a Pokémon, or a Pokémon risking their lives for yours.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 3: The Pokémon Center Operation!**

 **Chapter 4: An Evil Force!? Team Rocket Appears!**

 **Chapter 5: Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!**

 **Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

 **Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Isamu: Both Pikachu and Eevee are hurt from that mess... The Pokémon Center may be our only choice, Ash.

Ash: Pikachu... Please, hang in there! I'm sorry I couldn't protect you that good...

Nurse Joy: You boys can just leave all your Pokémon medical conditions to me!

Delia: Oh, my little boys. You two are already in Viridian City? You two are just like your father!

Ash: I'm more likely a Pidgey that's about to fall down like being shot at by a poacher...

Isamu: I don't believe negative thoughts will help us from being down at this point, Ash...


	3. The Pokémon Center Operation!

**Chapter 3: The Pokémon Center Operation!**

"That's right! I declare to the Pokémon of the world! I will be the greatest Pokémon Trainer! The greatest Pokémon Master, of all times!" Ash declared, showing his Voltorb alarm clock. This occurred in the night before Ash and Isamu's Pokémon Journey had started together as brothers, with Isamu starting one year late, due to his promise with his little brother.

On the day they left Pallet Town, the Ketchum brothers started their journey with Isamu having Eevee at his side as his best friend and partner, while Ash was forced to choose a stubborn Pikachu that immediately took a dislike on him, causing the two to have trouble with their relationships as partners and friends, while Isamu and Eevee started off fine.

But, when Ash accidentally threw a rock at the Spearow, that's when his bond with Pikachu had begun to sprout, as Pikachu protected him from the Spearows, while Isamu teamed up with his Eevee and his newly caught Pidgey in order to defeat all the Spearows that's been chasing them while many others have chased his younger brother.

Once the two brothers have reunited, they walked together, both hoping to make it to Viridian City to head for the Pokémon Center so that they could heal their Pokémon to full health.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The four run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

 _"Attention citizens of Viridian City! Attention citizens of Viridian City! We have a report of possible Pokémon thieves! Beyond the lookout for suspicious looking strangers! Repeat! Beyond the lookout for suspicious looking-?"_ An officer called in the loudspeaker. Before she could continue, she noticed two boys coming into the city.

It was Ash and Isamu! Ash was carrying Pikachu in his arms while Eevee stayed on Isamu's shoulders, while looking a bit beaten up from the Spearow incident. They were in a hurry as Pikachu was in a critical condition from the multiple Spearow attacks. Just as they passed a police station, Ash was grabbed from the behind of his jacket.

"Hold it, you two!" The officer called, startling Ash in the process, while causing Isamu to turn and glare at the one who grabbed his little brother. His face softened when he noticed that it was just a police officer, but he remained cautious with this woman. "Just where do you two think you're going with those two Pokémon, boys?" The officer asked.

Ash annoyingly turned to the officer, explaining the situation. "This Pikachu is MY Pokémon and that Eevee is my brother's Pokémon! They're both hurt, so we've got to get to the hospital right away!" Ash explained. "Ash, calm down. This is Officer Jenny you're speaking to, remember?" Isamu reminded, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Eevee! Eev!" Eevee agreed with a small scolding look on her face. Officer Jenny frowned before softening her face expression. "No, no, it's fine. I'm sorry! I thought that you two were stealing those two Pokémon. Just show me your IDs and I'll let the two of you go!" Officer Jenny apologized, until the little brother perked his head up on hearing IDs.

"ID? Um... We don't have any! We just came here from Pallet, and we-" Ash started, only for Officer Jenny to cut in. "You know... you two are the fourth and fifth person I've seen today from Pallet Town!" Officer Jenny explained, causing the two Ketchum brothers to widen their eyes. "Fourth and fifth?" Isamu repeated in surprise as he sighed.

"That means Gary and the other two must be already ahead of us somehow..." Isamu guessed, with Eevee sighing. "Vee..." Eevee sighed, shaking her head in disappointment, realizing that it meant that the annoying human boy was ahead of them on their journey. Officer Jenny on the other hand said her confusion and explained.

"You know, it's very unusual for people to carry their Pokémon in their arms and shoulders and not in their Pokéballs. How do I know if the two of you haven't stolen those Pokémon? Especially since the two of you don't have any identification?" Officer Jenny asked suspiciously, causing the older brother's eyes to twitch with little anger.

"Stolen? You think we look like thieves to you!? Why don't we show you our Pokédexes, and then this will prove we're just beginning trainers!?" Isamu said angrily. When he's accused of something, he would get annoyed for being called a thief. Eevee hissed at the officer, annoyed as well for the officer calling her good friend a thief.

But, at the mention of the Pokédex, Officer Jenny blinked, before noticing the two devices in Ash and Isamu's pockets. "Did you just say Pokédexes? Then, that's perfect! A Pokédex, you say!? Then, these will solve our problems!" Officer Jenny explained, showing the two devices in her hands, much to the younger brother's confusion.

"Huh? What do you-" Ash started, only for Isamu to explain. "Ash, our Pokédexes are our identification! They have our data of where we're born, and when we started our journey." Isamu explained, causing Ash to finally understand. "Oh... I get it..." Ash replied in amazement, not realizing that the Pokédex could have such information.

The officer smiled by looking at the two devices, as she searched for the Ketchum brothers' IDs. "It's just as your older brother says, kid... If you two are the real deal..." Officer Jenny replied, before showing the two Pokédexes to the two boys. Ash's Pokédex explained his information first.

 _"I'm Dexter, a Pokédex programmed by Prof. Oak for Pokémon Trainer: Ash Ketchum of the town of Pallet. My function is to provide Ash with information and advice regarding Pokémon and their training. If lost or stolen, I cannot be replaced."_ Dexter explained, much to Ash's amazement. Then came Isamu's Pokédex with his information.

 _"I'm Dexter, a Pokédex programmed by Prof. Oak for Pokémon Trainer: Isamu Ketchum of the town of Pallet. My function is to provide Isamu with information and advice regarding Pokémon and their training. If lost or stolen, I cannot be replaced."_ Dexter explained further. "Oh wow... Can we take Pikachu and Eevee to the Pokémon Center now?" Ash asked.

Officer Jenny gave a wink at the two brothers with an idea in her mind. "I'll get you two there in no time at all!" Officer Jenny assured. With that said, she took the two boys to her police station, where she opened up her garage that had her police motorcycle with two sidecars. The two boys got into the sidecars as the officer prepared to drive out.

"Sit back, hold on, and don't yell, boys!" Officer Jenny called. The female Evolution Pokémon quickly sat on her trainer's lap, knowing that she could fall off of his shoulder should the speed pick up all of a sudden. While she had done that, the officer revved up her motorcycle and drove out of her police station, racing to the Pokémon Center as fast as she could.

No one noticed the girl with orange hair as she had her burnt bike up on her shoulders. "Ugh... Hey! What's the big idea! Come back here!" The girl snapped angrily as she ran after the speeding motorcycle, only for the bike to disappear out of sight. "Urgh... Just wait until I get that loser! He's going to pay for what he did to my bike!" The girl snapped angrily.

 **Later...**

Officer Jenny revved up her motorcycle, driving to the Pokémon Center as fast as she could, with Isamu on her left, while Ash was on her right. The younger brother held his Pikachu close to his chest, as he attempted to keep him safe and warm from harm. Eevee fell asleep on the ride, as she laid her head on Isamu's chest, snoring silently.

The older brother smoothed his starter's head, comforting her in her sleep. "Just a bit longer, Eevee. We're almost there." Isamu assured silently. "There it is!" Officer Jenny called, catching the Ketchum brothers' attention. The two boys looked up to see a giant building that showed the sign of the Pokémon Center's name on the top.

"Pokémon Center? It's gigantic!" Ash complimented in amazement. "What did you expect? This is a Pokémon hospital, remember? Of course it has to be gigantic!" Isamu reminded, as Ash kept his focus on the building. As they got closer, the officer said her warning to the two boys in advance.

"This is gonna be tricky! Just hold on! Here we go!" Officer Jenny called. After her warning, she picked up the speed, causing the bike to rise up into the air and fall down right in front of the entrance as the bike skidded inside and right in front of where the counter was! Ash screamed in startle while Isamu remained calm, trying to keep his shock inside him.

As the bike stopped in front of the nurse's counter, the nurse glared at the officer with a reminder. "We have a driveway, you know!" Nurse Joy scolded, with Officer Jenny countering back with her excuse. "It's a Pokémon Emergency!" Officer Jenny explained, as the two brothers rose from their seats, explaining their situations to the nurse.

"Please help them!" Ash pleaded, as Eevee woke up in Isamu's arms. The nurse inspected the two starters and nodded. "Looks like an Eevee and a Pikachu. We'll do what we can!" Nurse Joy assured. She began to type on her computer, contacting her assistant, Chansey. "I need two stretchers for an Electric Type and a Normal Type Pokémon, stat!" Nurse Joy called.

At her call, two stretchers rolled out to the lobby, with two Chanseys pushing them. The nurse placed Pikachu onto the stretcher, while Eevee grew hesitant to trust the nurse, until Isamu comforted her. "It's okay. She'll make you feel all better." Isamu assured, encouraging Eevee to get on. Finally, surrendering to Isamu's comfort, the Normal Type obeyed.

She got onto the second stretcher, as the older Ketchum brother held out Pidgey's Pokéball. "Nurse Joy, can you also help my Pidgey, too? It took little damage from a battle." Isamu explained, as the nurse nodded. "Alright. I'll take care of your Pidgey for a moment. As for Eevee and Pikachu, they'll be fine!" Nurse Joy assured with a smile.

She turned to her two Chanseys with an order for medical care. "Rush this Pikachu to the critical care unit. As for this Eevee, rush this one to the medical room. Just a few bandages and check-ups will do for this one." Nurse Joy ordered. The two Chanseys nodded as they took the two starters into different medical care rooms.

As they were gone, a third Chansey came up with medical tools for the nurse to use. She wore her pink gloves, preparing to attend medical treatment. "We'll begin treatment right away!" Nurse Joy called, as Ash tried to talk. She noticed the two boys and asked them their names. "And who are you two boys?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Their names are Isamu and Ash! They're twin brothers from the town of Pallet. They're the Pikachu and the Eevee's trainers." Officer Jenny explained, as the little brother tried to ask for some assistance. "If there is anything we can do, please just tell us!" Ash pleaded, only for the nurse to began her small lecture with the Ketchum brothers.

"You two can be more responsible!" Nurse Joy answered, much to Ash's shock and Isamu's surprise. "What are you trying to say? Are you saying that we let our Pokémon hurt on purpose?" Isamu asked, not liking the nurse's expression. Nurse Joy sighed and shook her head, before she began her explanation of what she meant about responsibility.

"That's not what I'm trying to say. What I'm trying to say is that if you two want to become Pokémon Trainers, you don't let your Pokémon battle in these conditions!" Nurse Joy scolded, much to the older brother's annoyance. "You don't have the right to lecture us when you don't even know what happened to those two!" Isamu snapped.

"Calm down, kid..." Officer Jenny reminded, placing a hand on Isamu's shoulder as the older brother shook. "We didn't ask for those two to battle on their current conditions. We were ambushed by a flock of Spearows, forcing us to run away while getting attacked at the same time!" Isamu explained angrily, causing the nurse to widen her eyes.

"I-I see..." Nurse Joy replied, feeling sorry for a moment. "I'm sorry of what happened to you two and your Pokémon, but for now, the past is past. We have to heal your Pikachu, Eevee, and Pidgey." Nurse Joy explained, as the little brother tried to be more useful again. "What can we do?" Ash asked, as the nurse smiled with her answer.

"Just leave everything to me!" Nurse Joy assured, as Ash made a small bow. "Please..." Ash pleaded, while Isamu frowned. He gave his younger brother a half-hug, comforting him with his current feelings. "It's in your hands! I know you'll give those three excellent care!" Officer Jenny assured. Nurse Joy smiled and nodded, complimenting her friend.

"You got them all here just in time!" Nurse Joy complimented as the officer made her salute. "That's my job!... Oh my goodness! I left my motorcycle parked at the front desk!" Officer Jenny started, before she nervously smiled. "Next time, use the driveway." Nurse Joy reminded, as the officer laughed nervously, while nodding in agreement.

As she left, the nurse reminded the two brothers to wait. "Ash, Isamu? You two will have to wait in the waiting room!" Nurse Joy reminded, earning a nod from the older brother while the younger brother tried to protest. "Can't I...?" Ash started, only to be pulled back by his older brother. By that time, the emergency room door closed.

"Isamu...!" Ash started to protest, as his older brother looked at him with a serious expression on his face. "We can't do anything about it now. Let's just leave this to Nurse Joy." Isamu assured, much to Ash's dismay. He slowly nodded, before he glanced back at the emergency room doors. _"Pikachu..."_ Ash thought, feeling bad for his Electric Type friend.

Isamu did the same as he looked at the doors as well with a frown and a sigh. _"Eevee..."_ Isamu thought as he sat down, as his younger brother joined him, as they both waited for their Pokémon friends to recover from their treatment. "Big bro... I... I messed up big back there, didn't I?" Ash asked, feeling tearful as he clenched his fists.

Isamu glanced at his little brother with a frown before he held Ash, pulling him to him. He attempted to comfort his little brother, despite knowing that it might not work. "Yeah... If I had to be honest, you may have caused a huge problem for the both of us back there, but... it's not really your fault. It's those Spearow flock's fault." Isamu assured.

"But... I was the one that threw the rock, annoying the Spearow, which caused it to call its friends... And in doing that, I left you, Pikachu, and Eevee all in danger..." Ash replied, starting to tear up. "It doesn't matter... What happened before is the past now. Just focus on being careful for now, okay? When you do reckless stuff, that makes me worried for you." Isamu replied.

He began to rub his younger brother's back in comfort as tears started to pour from Ash's eyes as he held his older brother for comfort. "I'm... I'm sorry... Isamu..." Ash apologized, to which Isamu smiled at softly. "It's okay, Ash... No matter what you do... you know that I'll always you love, little brother..." Isamu assured softly, comforting Ash even more.

"I... love you too, big bro..." Ash whispered, holding onto his brother even more. The two sat there for a while until the clock ticked to 8 PM. It was getting late as the two brothers stayed seated, with Ash laying his head onto Isamu's shoulder. The older brother looked around, noticing the time as he looked down at the phone booths.

"I think it's time we call Mom. She'll be worried if we don't call her right now." Isamu suggested, earning a small nod from his little brother. "Yeah..." Ash agreed as they both headed for one of the phone booths. Isamu dialed the home phone number, preparing to call Delia to see how she was doing at the moment. Seconds passed until someone picked up.

"Hello? This is the Ketchum residence!" Delia's voice answered the call. "Hello? Mom?" Ash called, as Delia's voice let out a delightful shriek. "Oh! Hi, boys! Is everything okay!? Where are you, Ash? Isamu?" Delia asked, feeling thrilled to see her two sons again. "We're currently at the Viridian City Pokémon Center, Mom." Isamu answered, much to Delia's amazement.

"You two are already in Viridian City? It took your father four days to get there when he started Pokémon training! Oh, he'll be so proud! You two are the apples of his eyes!" Delia exclaimed in amazement, as Ash gave a sigh. "Yeah... Rotten apples..." Ash replied, with Isamu frowning. "Ash..." Isamu started, only for his mother to pipe up.

"Oh, Ash... Don't get discouraged! You and your older brother are doing fine! Boys, you two are growing right before my eyes! Spreading your wings, and together, you two are soaring like two Spearows!" Delia assured, as the little brother sighed again. "Isamu may be like the Spearow, but I feel more like a falling Pidgey." Ash sighed, still disappointed in himself.

"I won't let you talk about yourself that way! Just be confident in yourself, like how your brother is right now! You can do anything that you said to your Mom to!" Delia scolded. "Mom... Please don't say that I'm that confident..." Isamu pleaded silently, as Delia blinked. She smiled again, before asking her two sons about their current conditions.

"Anyways, do you understand, Ash?" Delia asked, as the little brother responded with a nod. "Yes." Ash answered, as Delia asked again. "And are you changing your underwear everyday?" Delia asked, which Isamu sweat dropped on. "Mom... It's still the same day when we left. We'll change our underwears when tomorrow comes, alright?" Isamu assured.

The Ketchum brothers' mother smiled sweetly before agreeing. "Alright, if you say so, Isamu! Good night, my little boys! Love you!" Delia said sweetly, saying her goodbye to her two sons. "Yeah, me too, Mom. Bye..." Ash said, as Isamu ended the call. The little brother looked at his older brother, questioning him for not saying good night.

"Isamu, why didn't you say good night too?" Ash asked. "I'm sure that even if I don't say it, she'll know that I love her, just like you do." Isamu answered, folding his arms with a small smile on his face. Ash smiled back, understanding of what his brother was saying. "Yeah..." Ash agreed. Just then, the little brother noticed something as he widened his eyes.

"Hey, Isamu... Look over there!" Ash called. He pointed to where a large portrait was, having four sections of different looking legendary Pokémon. The older brother blinked, before noticing the same shape of the flying Pokémon he and his little brother saw. "Isn't that... Ho-Oh? The legendary Pokémon we saw while the rainbow was there?" Isamu asked.

"I think so... yeah... I think it is!" Ash answered, remembering what Ho-Oh looked like in the sky. But just before the two said anymore, there was a phone call ringing from the computer. "Ring-ring-ring! Ring-ring-ring! Phone call! Phone call!" The computer beeped, catching the Ketchum brothers' attention.

The little brother tapped on the phone button, answering it. "Uh... This is Ash and Isamu! Who's calling?" Ash asked, resulting in someone answering back. "Here! I'm over here!" Prof. Oak's voice called, startling the older Ketchum brother. The two turned to see the portrait of the bottom right picture going down to reveal a screen.

They saw Prof. Oak from behind as it looked like the Kanto Professor was trying to contact them, while trying to cook up a cup ramen with his lab experiments. "Ash! Isamu! It's Prof. Oak! Don't you two recognize me?" Prof. Oak asked, causing the older brother to sweat drop. "You mean, recognizing you from behind, Professor?" Isamu asked dryly.

That caught the Professor's attention as he looked behind to see another camera from behind. "Eh!? Oops! Wrong camera!" Prof. Oak yelped as he shut the camera from behind to contact the two boys in the front. "There... Ahem! I just spoke you boys' mother, and she tells me that the two of you made it to the Pokémon Center in Viridian City! Is that correct?" Prof. Oak asked.

"Um, yes, Professor... How else would we be contacting you? You dialed the Viridian City's Pokémon Center's number, didn't you?" Isamu asked, sighing in disappointment with the Kanto Professor. "Eh heh heh... Yes, yes... You're right, Isamu... Completely right... I did contact this number, did I?" Prof. Oak laughed nervously.

The older brother face-palmed in disappointment as Prof. Oak tried to change the subject. "Ahem... As I was going to say, the other new Pokémon Trainers made it there with no problem! And I'm pleasantly surprised to see that you two got here so soon!" Prof. Oak explained, as Isamu frowned with his left eye twitching in annoyance.

"You thought we would arrive later than you expected...? You're really looking down on us, aren't you, Professor?" Isamu asked as the Kanto Professor laughed nervously. "No, no! What I'm trying to say is that I'm impressed with the two of you making it here like the other new Pokémon Trainers did!" Prof. Oak explained nervously, as Ash frowned.

"But, I will admit, that when you two left, Ash, I had my doubt that you could handle your Pikachu!" Prof. Oak admitted, with Ash sighing, as Isamu started to clench his fists in annoyance. People are starting to annoy him by picking on his little brother, which included Gary and his grandfather, Prof. Oak. "Ugh..." Isamu sighed in annoyance.

Seeing Isamu getting annoyed, the Professor changed the subject once again. "But, when my grandson, Gary said that you wouldn't have a single new Pokémon by the time you got to Viridian City, I bet him a million dollars that he'd be wrong!" Prof. Oak explained, causing the little brother to panic, while Isamu sighed once again.

"You won that bet, Professor. I at least caught one, so that should at least count, shouldn't it?" Isamu asked, as the Kanto Professor cheered for his win of the bet. _"Great! I was getting concerned that none of these two would ever catch a Pokémon... Except Isamu, since he was known to be skilled and intelligent at the academy..."_ Prof. Oak thought.

"Professor? That's not all what happened. We both saw a flying Pokémon just like that one! It flew right over the rainbow!" Ash explained, pointing to the blue picture that was above the Professor's screen. "Don't talk such nonsense. You couldn't have seen this Pokémon! Trainers have searched their whole lives and never seen it." Prof. Oak said in disbelief.

"So you're saying he's lying? Professor, I saw it, too. It looked just like Ho-Oh, the legendary Pokémon of the Johto region! A glowing bird Pokémon that's flying towards the rainbow, there's no mistaking it!" Isamu explained, as the Kanto Professor frowned. "But still... It's just impossible..." Prof. Oak started, until a doorbell rang on his side.

"Ah! There's my pizza! Coming!" Prof. Oak yelped as he left the screen, until he came back, saying his goodbye to the Ketchum brothers. "It was very nice talking to you two, Ash! Isamu! And good luck!... Mm... Anchovies, spinach, and pineapple pizza!" Prof. Oak replied, before he started to moan over his delicious pizza that was delivered.

With that, the screen turned off, with Isamu steaming a little in annoyance. "Good luck, my foot... He probably doesn't believe we'll make it in our journey." Isamu grunted, as he slammed his fist on the front desk. Ash sweat dropped, understanding his brother's annoyance, but believed he was taking it a bit too far. That was when another familiar voice called them.

"NOW I'VE GOT YOU!" The girl bellowed out loud, catching the Ketchum brother's attention. Isamu blinked in surprise to see the same girl from before during the Spearow chase! She was panting, while holding something burnt over her shoulders. She looked like she was hunting something, and now, she had found her prey.

"I knew I'd find you here!" Misty snapped angrily, as Ash widened his eyes at the sight of the girl's bike, not remembering what happened to it before. "Hey! What happened to your bike?" Ash asked, as the girl responded angrily to this. "What happened to my bike!? You happened to my bike, you little loser!" The girl snapped angrily.

She trudged towards the two brothers angrily, attempting to threaten Ash even more. "This is what happened after you STOLE it to save your Pokémon! Now, I can see why your Pokémon is in the- EEK!" The girl started, before she fell down, causing the burnt bike to crash on the ground as well, causing Ash to panic and Isamu to sigh in annoyance.

"Great... Someone else came by just to annoy us and to discourage us even more..." Isamu grumbled in annoyance. "Ah! Let me help!" Ash called as he tried to help the girl only for his hand to be slapped away in annoyance. "I don't need your help! And you're gonna pay for what you did to my bike!" The girl retorted angrily.

Isamu frowned, remembering that the bike was burnt off by Pikachu's Thundershock attack so that he could save Ash from the Spearows. The way the girl is reacting seemed like she was overreacting a little.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 4: An Evil Force!? Team Rocket Appears!**

 **Chapter 5: Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!**

 **Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

 **Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

 **Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Misty: I knew I would find you here, you loser! You're going to pay for what you did to my bike!

Isamu: This isn't about you or your stupid bike! This is about our Pokémon!

Ash: Pikachu... and Eevee, too... They look okay... That's such a relief...

Jessie: Prepare for trouble! Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!

James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!

Meowth: Meowth! That's right! We're taking your Pokémon right now!


	4. An Evil Force? Team Rocket Appears!

**Chapter 4: An Evil Force!? Team Rocket Appears!**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", the Ketchum brothers have arrived at Viridian City, where they were inquired by Officer Jenny as she explains about the thieves going on and around in the city, until she notices the two brothers having their Pokédex. Once the questions were dealt with, the officer took the two boys to the Pokémon Center to heal their Pokémon.

In no time at all at night, the three arrived at the Center, where Nurse Joy agreed to heal Eevee, Pikachu, and Pidgey. As the officer leaves, the nurse began to tend to their Pokémon's wounds. Meanwhile, Ash and Isamu have their brotherly moments together, both reminding each other about the past experience they had in their journey right now, despite of it being just the first day for them.

The two called their mother, who encourages them to fight on and keep going on their journey, causing them to call Prof. Oak, who explains about the other three trainers, including Gary, had already made it to Viridian City as well. Isamu, annoyed that the Professor was having doubts about them started to get annoyed until a familiar girl arrived.

It was the girl from before when Ash stole her bike! Angry that her bike was turned to crisp, how will Ash and Isamu handle the small situation they have when they already had a big situation right now with their injured Pokémon?

* * *

"Great... Someone else came by just to annoy us and to discourage us even more..." Isamu grumbled in annoyance. "Ah! Let me help!" Ash called as he tried to help the girl, only for his hand to be slapped away in annoyance. "I don't need your help! And you're gonna pay for what you did to my bike!" The girl retorted angrily.

Ash backed away, feeling bad for the girl as his older brother stepped up. "I'll make up for it. I promise I will, really!... But, I can't do anything about your bike until-" Ash started, only for the girl to stand up and threaten him with a fist and an angry look on her face. "Argh! I don't want any of your lame excuses, kid! I just want a new bike right now!" The girl snapped angrily.

 **SLAP!**

"Huh!? I-Isamu... What are you...!?" Ash gasped as he watched Isamu slap the girl hard to the ground, causing her to fall next to her burnt bike. The older Ketchum brother's face expression was cold and looked really annoyed as the girl groaned in pain, before she gave a small glance at Isamu, who glared at her and clenched his fists in annoyance.

"This isn't about you and your stupid bike, you stupid girl! Our Pokémon are important than you right now! So, I'd like you to keep your foul mouth shut and forget about your stupid bike already!" Isamu snapped angrily, gritting his teeth in anger. "I... I..." The girl started as the little brother tried to calm his angry brother before it got worse.

"Isamu, please calm down! It was my fault that her bike got fried up during the chase... So please, just calm down..." Ash pleaded, causing Isamu to soften his face a little, despite of still being annoyed with the girl. "Fine..." Isamu scoffed as he turned his head away, turning his eyes back to the medical room doors. The girl got up, still stunned by the sudden slap she took.

Ash turned to the girl and tried to explain the critical situation they were in right now. "It's my Pikachu and my brother's Eevee... They're not... doing so well." Ash explained, causing the girl to soften her expression as she noticed where Isamu was staring. The treatment didn't seem to be over yet as the red light was still there above the emergency room doors.

"Is it very serious?" The girl asked as the little brother sighed. "I think so... And there's nothing we can do to help now..." Ash answered, only for his brother to stop him. "That's not true, Ash..." Isamu countered, causing the teo to look at the older Ketchum brother. "H-Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked, as Isamu made his answer.

"What I mean is, all we can do right now to help, is to believe that Pikachu will make it. I know that both Eevee and Pidgey will make it, since I believe in the two of them. If we believe in Pikachu, then I'm sure that he'll be alright." Isamu assured, causing the little brother to blink in surprise. At the same time, the red light blinked out and the doors opened.

The three trainers all turned to see Nurse Joy and her two Chanseys coming out with Pikachu and Eevee on the two stretchers. Pidgey's Pokeball was next to Eevee, making it look as if Pidgey was also okay. "Eevee!" Eevee cried, calling for Isamu as the three all ran for the two Pokémon. "Eevee! You're okay!" Isamu replied happily as his female Evolution Pokémon jumped into his arms happily.

"Eevee! Eev!" Eevee cried happily. She nuzzled Isamu's cheek with her nose, giving him her assurance that she was A-ok. "Pikachu!? Are you alright!?" Ash asked desperately, noticing that the Electric Type was wearing some kind of electrical headband connected with a few wires and a lightbulb on his head. "What is this...?" Isamu asked in surprise, as he never seen a Pokémon being treated medically like this.

"You see, Pikachu is resting, and it's good thing you two got it here so fast, the procedure went well, and it should be fine!" Nurse Joh explained, causing the eldest Ketchum brother to sigh in relief. "That's a relief... Nurse Joy, what about Pidgey?" Isamu asked, as the nurse smiled. "Your Pidgey is fully recovered. But, it needs to rest so that it can battle properly for tomorrow!" Nurse Joy explained.

"Pikachu should be fine now, thanks to the Pokémon Center!" The girl assured as the little brother sighed. "Yes... Thank you very much." Ash thanked as the nurse nodded. "Now your Pikachu needs a good rest in the recovery room! You should go in with it, Ash." Nurse Joy assured, before making the recovery suggestion. Ash nodded to that, before he turned to the girl.

"Yes... Listen, I'm sorry about your bike, but I'm gonna need some time to make things right." Ash explained, only for the girl to protest against his words. "No way! I fell for thst last time!" The girl snapped as Isamu glared at her. "Zip it... Or we'll do something worse than what we did to your bike... uh...?" Isamu started to threaten her as the girl said her name, before glaring back.

"It's Misty, little boy, and I don't want to hear any of your threats! You two take care of your Pikachu and Eevee right now, and then we'll settle this later!" The girl named Misty grunted annoyingly. The little Ketchum brother watched as his older brother was arguing with a girl, causing him to sweat drop and laugh nervously as he tried to calm the two down from fighting and arguing.

"Come on, you two... Please don't fight!" Ash pleaded, until an alarming sound came off, catching the three trainers, Nurse Joy, and Eevee all by surprise. _"Your attention, please! Our Viridian City radars have detected an aircraft belonging to a gang of Pokémon thieves! If you have a Pokémon in your possession, take extra care of it with extreme caution!"_ Officer Jenny announced loudly.

"Pokémon thieves!?" Ash yelped in shock. "Looks like those criminals are here... What!?" Isamu started before he looked up to see that something was falling! Two Pokéballs crashed through the top window and both opened, revealing two unfamiliar Pokémon that looked like a spherical Pokémon giving off a huge amount of smokescreen. The second one looked like a dangerous purple snake!

The spherical purple Pokémon unleashed a huge amount of smoke, covering the interior parts of the Pokémon Center! It became hard to breathe as Ash coughed, before noticing some shadows in the smoke. "Ugh... W-What the!? Who are they!?" Ash grunted as Isamu narrowed his eyes. "Pokémon thieves..." "Eevee..." Isamu grunted angrily as Eevee prepared to fight in case if a battle was necessary.

The eldest Ketchum brother took out his Pokédex and scanned the two hazardous looking Pokémon. "Who are they, Dexter?" Isamu asked silently as the Pokédex responded. _"_ _Koffing, the Poison Gas Pokémon. Koffing hovers in the air, thanks to the poisonous gases it contains, which have a foul odor and can explode."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed as it then revealed the purple snake Pokémon.

 _"Ekans, the Snake Pokémon._ _The older it gets, the longer it grows. At night, it wraps its long body around tree branches to rest."_ Dexter explained once more. Just then, a voice sneered, making his or her introduction. But it wasn't just one, but three! "Don't be frightened, little boys..." A woman chuckled evilly. "Allow us to introduce ourselves!" A man sneered this time.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

"Wh-What are you talking about!?" Ash asked, feeling nervous and a bit frightened at the same time. "They're saying they're a group of criminals that steal Pokémon! That's what they're saying!" Isamu answered as he held out his arm to defend his little brother and his Electric Type. Eevee seemed to have felt the same as she hissed angrily at the evil people and the talking Meowth.

"That little boy doesn't seem to get it, but that older one seems to get it." Jessie sneered. "H-How can I!? Before Isamu spoke, you guys didn't make any sense!" Ash complained. "We're here for the Pokémon!" James explained, causing Ash to try and cover his injured starter. "You're not getting Pikachu!" Ash snapped, causing the woman to raise her eyebrows and scoff with disinterest.

"Pikachu? We're not interested in your precious, electric rat!" Jessie scoffed as James glanced at Eevee, who seemed ready for battle. "But that little fox with the angry eyes seem to be what we're after, as well as the other Pokémon in this Center!" James replied, causing Isamu to step up besides his starter. "Zip it! You morons aren't going to get my partner!" Isamu retorted angrily.

"Morons!? How rude... Didn't your mother teach you any manners, little boy?" Jessie snapped annoyingly. "You see, we seek rare and valuable Pokémon!" James explained, causing Nurse Joy to step up and remind them of the Pokémon's conditions. "You're wasting your time! This is a Center for weak and injured Pokémon!" Nurse Joy snapped as Jessie smirked at hearing this.

"Well, that may be so... But I wouldn't be at all surprised if we find a few Pokémon gems among all the junk!" Jessie assured, causing Isamu to clench his fists, while leaving the little brother now deeply annoyed. "You're starting to bug me!" Ash grumbled, leaving Jessie chuckling. "Isn't that cute?" Jessie asked, turning to James. "Those boys are bugged!" James agreed with an evil smirk.

"Meowth! Then, let's squash them!" Meowth called. At the agreement, both Jessie and James began the game of tag with their two Poison Types. "Koffing, attack!" "Ekans, go!" The two said, ordering for a double attack. At the call of the attack, Isamu, Ash, Misty, and Nurse Joy ran for escape as they headed into the hallway, where Ekans and Koffing began to chase them to strike when needed.

The four humans and Eevee all ran to a room where all the Center's Pokéballs were, as they all managed to get away from the two aggressive Poison Type Pokémon. But just as a few seconds passed, the lights began to flicker, before they turned off, startling everyone in the process. "Hey! The lights!" Misty gasped as Nurse Joy frowned. "They must've cut the power!" Nurse Joy guessed.

"What now? We'll be walking blind without the lights on!" Isamu grunted as he stood up. The nurse smiled, making her answer. "No need to worry! We've got our own Pika Power source!" Nurse Joy explained, catching the eldest Ketchum brother by surprise. "Pika Power? You mean, you also have Pikachu here!?" Isamu asked in surprise. "Vee?" Eevee asked in curiosity, cocking her head.

Their questions were answered as the light began to turn back off. There were electricity cracking at another room, as Isamu, Ash, and Misty all turned to see a group of Pikachu running to create enough electricity for a backup generator, amazing the orange haired girl in the process. "Wow! Look at all the Pikachu!" Misty cried out in amazement. "Eevee..." Eevee said in amazement as well.

"Tch... We don't have much time! Those thugs will find us if they turn this place from inside out!" Isamu grunted, as a computer near the group turned on, activating some kind of program. _"A critical situation has arisen! Initiating emergency Pokéball transport sequence!"_ The computer buzzed. At the activation, Nurse Joy stood up, taking charge of the emergency Pokéball transport.

"We've got to save those Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as the machine began doing its work to transport all the Center's Pokéballs at the transport system. While the machine was doing its work, Nurse Joy used the computer to contact another Pokémon Center for some help. "This is the Viridian City Pokémon Center! We have an emergency situation! Transporting Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy said desperately.

 _"This is the Pewter City Pokémon Center! Downloader activated! Ready to receive Pokéballs!"_ The computer buzzed as the transporting went on. But to Isamu's eyes, the transporting looked slow, and most of the Pokéballs were still vulnerable to the enemy. "Can't the transport system go faster!? Any minute now, before those guys will find-" Isamu started, until the door exploded open!

Koffing smashed through the doors, knocking all the Pokéballs from the shelves down at the same time! "Ah!?" "Oh no!" Both Ash and Misty gasped, as Nurse Joy began picking up the vulnerable Pokéballs. "Get those Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy called. Immediately, the older brother began picking them up as Ash began to hesitate on what to do, causing Misty to glare at him with annoyance.

"This is war! Don't just hold them! Throw it!" Misty snapped. Isamu glared back at her before taking out Pidgey's Pokéball. "Tch... You don't have to tell me twice! Pidgey, come on out!" Isamu called. The tough Tiny Bird Pokémon appeared, ready to fight as it faced both Ekans and Koffing! "Eevee, I need your help, too! Pay them back for the chaos they've created!" Isamu pleaded along.

The Evolution Pokémon nodded in understanding as she stood besides Pidgey to face her two hazardous opponents. "Ngh... Can't let my brother fight alone! Pokéball, go!" Ash called as he threw a Pokéball, summoning a Pidgey out! It chirped before it fled, after seeing Ekans' intimidating face. "What!?" Ash gasped as Isamu gritted his teeth. "Ekans' special ability, Intimidate!" Isamu grunted.

Jessie, James, and Meowth all walked in, sneering st their weak opponents. "That thing can't beat us!" Jessie said arrogantly, causing Isamu to strike back. "Can't beat you, huh!? Try beating this! Eevee, use Quick Attack! Pidgey, you use Quick Attack, too!" Isamu called. At the order, both Normal Types slammed into their two Poison Type opponents, knocking them away for a moment.

But at the minute they fell, they quickly got back up! "What!? Just how much stamina do they have in them!?" Isamu snapped. "Ah ha ha ha ha! Nice try, boy... But not good enough! Ekans, Wrap attack, go!" Jessie laughed. "Koffing, use your Tackle attack!" James ordered along. At the two orders, the two attempted to attack their opponents, only for the older brother to make his call.

"Dodge them, both of you! Then, counter them with your double Tackle attack!" Isamu yelled. At the right timing, both Eevee and Pidgey dodged the Wrap and Tackle, while causing Ekans and Koffing to attack each other instead! At that moment, both Normal Types made their attacks, bashing the two tangled Poison Types away! "What!? Stop that right now, Ekans!" Jessie snapped.

"This is no time for playing! This is the time for attacking and stealing!" James added angrily. "You're wasting your time, Team Rocket!" Isamu retorted, leaving Jessie and James to glare at him. "Urgh! How annoying can you get, boy!?" Jessie shrieked as Ash took out another Pokéball. "Another one! Try this one on for size!" Ash called as he threw the second ball, only for it to open empty!

"WHA!? Empty!?" Ash shrieked in shock as Nurse Joy frowned at the empty Pokéballs. "We're never gonna beat them this way!" Misty complained. "Some of the Pokéballs are empty!" Nurse Joy explained, much to both Ash and Isamu's annoyance and disappointment. "Well, now she tells me... This feels like a real winner! Pokéball, go!" Ash called as he threw another one for battle.

This time, it revealed a Rattata, who seemed ready for battle, only for James to sneer at the sight of the common Pokémon. "Hmph. Pipsqueak." "Ha! Meowth!" James sneered while Meowth laughed. Once again, Ekans used his Intimidate ability to scare Rattata away, much to Ash's dismay. "All those Pokémon are inexperienced! They can't beat these clowns right here!" Isamu snapped.

Eevee and Pidgey prepared to attack again, until Misty stepped up in front of the older Ketchum brother, startling the two brothers. "Hey! Misty, what are you doing!?" Isamu snapped. "I'm doing what I have to do! I'm going to have to take this into my own hands! You two grab Pikachu and your other Pokémon and get out of here! I'll take care of these three clowns!" Misty said bravely.

"That's pretty big talk, coming from such a little lady!" Jessie sneered, only for Misty to smile at that, feeling confident with her battling skills. "At least you're right about the pretty part! Thanks for the compliment!" Misty thanked sarcastically, as James only sneered at the counter-words. "The girl think she's pretty." James commented as Jessie sneered at the sarcastic words.

"I agree... I think she's pretty, too! Pretty pathetic!" James said arrogantly, leaving the young girl annoyed with the insult. "Argh... Oh, I'll show you! Pokéball, go!" Misty called. She threw a Pokéball to summon a fish Pokémon, a fish that was unable to battle on solid floor! The Ketchum brothers watched in confusion and shock, while Team Rocket looked bewildered at the battle choice.

"Misty, that's..." Isamu stuttered as he scanned Goldeen. _"Goldeen, the Fish Pokémon._ _When it is time for them to lay eggs, they can be seen swimming up rivers and falls in large groups."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed. Right after her Pokémon was sent out, the orange haired girl called Goldeen back. "Goldeen, return!" Misty called as her helpless Water Type was back in its Pokéball.

"That's your best shot?" Jessie asked, confused and disappointed with the results. "She's all washed up." James sighed as Misty smirked at their bewildering faces. "You know as well as I do that a Water Type Pokémon can't battle on land! I was just warming up!" Misty explained, leaving Ash bewildered and Isamu disappointed. "Warming up...?" Ash repeated in confusion.

"That didn't seem like a warm-up, that seemed to be like a wrong choice!" Isamu snapped, as Misty glared back at the two. "Just get Pikachu and your other Pokémon out of here!" Misty hissed, warning the two brothers to move on. "Right!" Ash agreed as he started to push Pikachu's stretcher away. Isamu followed, before he signaled both Eevee and Pidgey to come by his side.

With the escape going along, the two Ketchum brothers began to run out to the lobby of the Center, only for Ekans and Koffing to follow them! "Tch! Just how persistent are those two!? Pick up the pace, Ash!" Isamu snapped as he urged his little brother to run faster. "Huff... Huff... I'm running as fast as I can- GAH!" Ash started, before he was interrupted by the burnt bike getting in the stretcher's way!

"Ash!?" Isamu gasped as he caught his brother before he fell to the ground. Eevee and Pidgey ran to the Ketchum brothers' sides, before they prepared to face Ekans and Koffing! The four all glared at each other just as Jessie and James caught up. "What...!? What happened to Misty!?" Isamu snapped as the two sneered. "That little girl was no match for us, so it was easy to escape!" Jessie sneered.

"Now, this is your last chance. Hand over all your Pokémon or prepare to fight!" James demanded, as Isamu gritted his teeth, spreading his arms wide to shield his little brother and Pikachu. "I choose to prepare for a fight! Giving our Pokémon to you was never an option!" Isamu snapped, causing James to whistle in amusement. "Feisty now, are we...? Huh?" James started, before he stopped.

"P-Pikachu!" Pikachu gasped as he woke up from recovering. Everyone turned to see the Center's Pikachu all jumping down to the stretcher where Pikachu was! "Whoa!?" "All those Pikachu..." Ash breathed out in shock, while Isamu took a step back in surprise. He and his little brother watched as all the Electric Types gathered around Ash's Pikachu as they all prepared a Thundershock attack!

The combined efforts of the Thundershock attack left Jessie, James, Ekans, and Koffing all screaming in pain! "AHHHHHHHH!" The two humans and their two Poison Types screamed as they felt shocked and paralyzed for being attacked by multiple electric attacks. When the Thundershock was done, Pikachu jumped on top of all the Pikachu, looking fully recovered, thanks to the combined Thundershock's power!

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said happily, much to Ash's joy. "Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed happily. "Looks like those electric attacks helped Pikachu out!" Isamu pointed out, as Eevee smiled at his Electric Type friend recovering. Pidgey, on the other hand, just sighed, before he turned to Team Rocket, who became paralyzed and burnt. Annoyed to be doing all the work, Meowth landed down with a sigh.

"Do I have to do everything!? That mouse is cat food, Meowth! Just wait, Pikachu and Eevee! You two are mine!" Meowth sneered as he started to take a few steps towards Pikachu and Eevee, much to Isamu's annoyance. "Don't bother! You're the only one left who can possibly fight!" Isamu snapped. "Oh yeah!? See how you like the taste of my claws, twerp!" Meowth hissed as he ran to attack.

"Ah! No! Brother!" Ash wailed as he saw Meowth attempting to slash his older brother, until Eevee took action, slamming Meowth away with a speedy Quick Attack! "Yeow! Watch it!" Meowth shrieked as he skidded on the ground. "Eevee...? What are you..." Isamu whispered in shock. "Eevee! Eevee Vee!" Eevee hissed in annoyance, as she warned the talking Pokémon to back off.

At the determination, Isamu smiled at his Evolution Pokémon, feeling proud for her fiery spirit in battle. "Oh yeah! And what if I don't back off, you furball!?" Meowth retorted, until Pikachu turned to Ash for a small request. "Pika! Pika Pika, Pika!" Pikachu explained, much to Ash's confusion as he couldn't understand what his Electric Type was saying. "Pika... Pika?" Ash repeated in confusion.

"Pika!" Pikachu confirmed with a nod. "Pika... Pika-power?" Ash asked, widening his eyes. "Pika!" Pikachu confirmed again with a smile and a nod. Isamu, Eevee, and Pidgey all turned to see Pikachu's request as the older brother smiled at his little brother understanding his Electric Type's wishes. "Pika-power, huh...? That's saying... Pikachu wants more power for a great shock!" Isamu explained.

"Oh... I get it! So all Pikachu needs is more power!" Ash exclaimed. He quickly got onto Misty's burnt bike and prepared to pedal as fast as he could. "Eh? What's this?" Meowth asked in confusion. "Stay back, you two... This is about to get shocking..." Isamu warned as he took a step back, causing both Eevee and Pidgey to take a few steps back as well. "What are you stepping back for!?" Meowth snapped.

The little Ketchum brother made the answer as he began to pedal even faster! "Well, let's just say that Pikachu and I are gonna generate some excitement for you, Meowth!" Ash assured as the pace of the pedaling increased. As the pedaling got faster, the light on Misty's burnt bike began to glow even brighter, causing Jessie, James, and Meowth to sweat drop in realization as they all gulped.

"Uh...?" "Uh oh..." "Meowth...?" The trio gulped as the light grew even brighter! At the chance, the Electric Type jumped on top of the bike's lights as the power of the light got into his powers, causing them to increase! "Pika Pika Pika... PIKACHU!" Pikachu yelled as he let out a powerful Thundershock attack. The attack shot at Team Rocket, shocking them, Ekans, and Koffing all directly with a powerful blow!

Isamu took another step back in surprise as he watched his little brother's starter shocking the thieves for a while, until some of the electricity got into Koffing's gas, causing a huge explosion in the Center! "WHOA!" "AHHH!" The two brothers yelled in shock as they were knocked away by the powerful blow. Not only did the explosion damaged the lobby, but it completely damaged every part of the Pokémon Center!

As the Center exploded, Officer Jenny arrived near the entrance driveway, noticing the huge explosion. "Too late...! But, not for the fireworks..." Officer Jenny sighed as she was too late to capture the three thieves. She could only watch as the explosion soon died down, with the evil trio seemed to have been defeated by the Ketchum brothers and their Pokémon partners.

At the destroyed Center, Ash coughed up smoke as Isamu groaned, getting up before looking around. "Ugh... I think... You and Pikachu overdid it, Ash..." Isamu grunted as he helped his little brother up. "H-Huh...? Whoa..." Ash started, before he widened his eyes in shock to see how much power the explosion has caused to make the Center look completely destroyed. Just then, a coughing Misty showed up, looking dirty a little.

"Looks like... ugh... You two did it! You knocked those clowns away from the Pokémon and the Pokémon Center here!" Misty coughed as she dusted herself off. "Heh heh... I guess we did! And those guys won't be coming back for a while!" Ash assured. "Pika." Pikachu confirmed with a nod as Eevee giggled, while Pidgey sighed, seeing that the tough battle was over for now.

Isamu on the other hand, let out a deep sigh as he looked around. "Yeah... Maybe we did get rid of those crooks... But... The damage is very severe..." Isamu pointed out, causing both Ash and Pikachu to sweat drop and laugh nervously at the huge amount of damage they had created despite of Team Rocket making it already look bad enough.

 **The next morning...**

At the ruined Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny were talking to the Pewter City Nurse Joy, who explained about the Pokéball transportation success. "Your Viridian City Pokémon were transported here safely!" Pewter Joy explained as the Viridian Joy sighed in relief. "Thanks, sis! Ash, Isamu, Misty, Pikachu, and Eevee are all headed to your way, to Pewter City!" Viridian Joy explained, before she frowned.

"If they can safely get through Viridian Forest..." Nurse Joy sighed as Officer Jenny smiled in assurance. "Don't worry! From what I've seen, they can take great care of themselves!" Officer Jenny assured. "Well... I hope you're right..." Viridian Joy sighed as she recalled the three trainers and their two Pokémon leaving to pass through the forest for Pewter City as their next destination.

 **Meanwhile...**

At Viridian Forest, the Ketchum brothers were traveling through the forest route with Pikachu and Eevee at their side and with Misty behind, as the orange-haired girl screamed in fright. "AHHHHH!" Misty screamed as she held onto both Isamu and Ash's shoulder. "H-Huh? What's the matter?" Ash asked, startled by the sudden screaming. "Look! O-Over there, you two!" Misty stuttered in fright.

She pointed to where a small green caterpillar looking Pokémon was staring at them, leaving the younger brother amazed to see a familiar Pokémon. "Cool! It's a Caterpie! It's one of the Bug Pokémon!" Ash pointed out in amazement. "Even if it is a Pokémon, bugs are disgusting! And I don't like them! Do something, you two!" Misty pleaded shakily as she took several steps back from the curious Caterpie.

"You're unreal..." Isamu groaned, as he face palmed with Misty's childish fear, as there was another rustling from the bushes, catching Eevee's attention. "Vee?" Eevee asked, causing Isamu to turn and look at the rustling bushes. "Now what...?" Isamu asked silently as a purple Pokémon came out, looking like a small, purple rat. "It's... a Nidoran..." Isamu whispered, before he smirked.

This Nidoran looked tough and looked ready for a battle. "Eevee... Why don't you say we catch it?" Isamu suggested, as Eevee responded with a determined smile and expression. "Eevee! Vee!" Eevee agreed as she leapt down from Isamu's shoulder to face against the Poison Type, who prepared to fight back if its opponent attacked first. Ash on the other hand, was ready to capture Caterpie.

"Alright, stand back! This one's a piece of cake!" Ash assured confidently as he took out an empty Pokéball for capture. The younger Ketchum brother and Caterpie both stared at each for a moment, until Ash threw his Pokéball at the small Bug Type. "Pokéball, go!" Ash called. At the same time, the battle between Eevee and Nidoran was about to begin! "Let's go, Eevee! Use Quick Attack!" Isamu called.

The Evolution Pokémon made her first attack, aiming to hit her Poison Type opponent with her speedy move, as Nidoran prepared to counter it. Misty and Pikachu both watched as the Ketchum brothers made their attempts to capture their first Viridian Forest Pokémon. What everyone didn't know was that a pair of shy eyes was spying on the three humans and two Pokémon as she seemed innocent and lost.

"Could those people maybe help me in the forest...?" A young girl whispered to herself as she kept watching the three trainers and their two Pokémon.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 5: Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!**

 **Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

 **Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

 **Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

 **Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Misty: Eeeek! What the heck is that thing!? Get it away from me right now!

Ash: Hey, come on! You don't have to be so mean to Caterpie! It has feelings too, you know!?

Isamu: Huh... When will those two ever stop arguing over small... things, maybe? But, that was harsh...

Misty: Bugs aren't the only things I hate, boys! Carrots and peppers are the things I hate, too!

Yellow: Um... excuse me? Are you three Pokémon Trainers? I'm kind of lost here and I'm looking for a way out.

Isamu: How did you get all the way over here? You look a bit young to be a Pokémon Trainer...


	5. Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!

**Chapter 5: Caterpie and Nidoran! Catch It Now!**

The younger Ketchum brother and Caterpie both stared at each for a moment, until Ash threw his Pokéball at the small Bug Type. "Pokéball, go! Caterpie, you're mine!" Ash called, as he declared the Bug Type Pokémon to be his now. At the same time, the battle between Eevee and Nidoran was about to begin! "Let's go, Eevee! Use Quick Attack!" Isamu called.

The Evolution Pokémon made her first attack, aiming to hit her Poison Type opponent with her speedy move, as Nidoran prepared to counter it. It dodged the Quick Attack, and shot forward with a Peck attack! "A Peck attack... Dodge it, Eevee!" Isamu called, causing Eevee to dodge just in time! Nidoran then skidded to a stop to charge back at Eevee, this time with Horn Attack!

Its tiny horn glowed to strike, as Misty widened her eyes at this. "Oh no... Look out!" Misty shrieked, as the older Ketchum brother narrowed his eyes to wait for the perfect time. "Dodge, then Tackle!" Isamu yelled again. Once again, the little Evolution Pokémon dodged the Horn Attack, before she bashed the Poison Type from behind with a Tackle attack! Nidoran shrieked in pain, before it skidded back on the ground.

It looked like it was tired as it began to pant with a little exhausted look on its face. All the fast attacking and running made it fatigued enough, while Eevee on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine, due to Isamu's decent battling skills. "Alright... This looks like the perfect time to capture it..." Isamu thought as he gave a glance at his Normal Type partner.

Eevee nodded back with a nod, causing the older Ketchum brother to nod back as he took out an empty Pokéball to capture his third member of the team. "Here goes! Go, Pokéball!" Isamu called as he threw the ball at Nidoran. Once the ball made contact, it opened, sucking Nidoran inside as it fell to the ground. The older Ketchum brother watched as the ball shook, until he heard his brother's excited tone.

"Mm... Mm... YES! I did it! Ha ha!" Ash yelled excitedly as he ran to his Pokéball, which contained the newly captured Caterpie inside it. Isamu blinked in surprise, to see that his younger brother managed to catch the little Bug Type, without even weakening it in a Pokémon battle. _"Guess there are some exceptions... like the little ones..."_ Isamu thought, before he smiled softly.

 _"But I'll admit... This IS Ash's first time capturing a Pokémon... So, the least I can do is be happy for him."_ Isamu thought again, as he grinned at his younger brother's first accomplishment as a Pokémon Trainer.

"I did it! I've caught Caterpie!" Ash cried excitedly as he held the Pokéball high up in the air. "I did it all by myself! I caught my first Pokémon! Did you see, Isamu!? Did you see it!?" Ash exclaimed happily as the older brother smiled with a grin on his face. "I sure did. And you're not the only one who caught a Pokémon." Isamu chuckled as he held up Nidoran's Pokéball, as the ball had stopped shaking a few minutes ago.

"Whoa!? You caught another one, bro!? Then, I guess this is our first step of becoming #1 Pokémon Masters in the whole world!" Ash exclaimed happily. He snaked his two arms around his brothers' arm and Misty's arm as he forced the two to run around with him! The two yelped as the younger Ketchum brother cheered for his first catch, ignoring Misty's protest of running around.

"Eek! Hey! Wait a- Can't you stop spinning... I'm going to get sick!" Misty complained, as Isamu could only smile weakly for his little brother's excitement. _"You can't stop Ash when he's this excited..."_ Isamu thought as he noticed both Eevee and Pikachu getting dizzy from watching the three trainers running around in circles, as the two fainted from watching.

"Look out, Pokémon! Nothing's going to stop us Ketchum brothers now!" Ash declared loudly, as he kept runnng around, despite of Misty's protest.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The four run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

Getting out of the excited Ash's grip, she glared at the young Ketchum brother, annoyed with his childish behavior. "Ash, you're acting like a-" Misty started to say, only for her to be stopped as Ash shoved the Pokéball at her face! "Look! Inside this ball is the very first Pokémon I've ever caught in my whole entire life!" Ash exclaimed, still excited about his first catch, as Misty frowned in disgust.

"Great! Just keep it away from me, will ya!?" Misty pleaded, causing the Ketchum brothers to smirk at the now frightened girl. "You're not afraid of a itty, bitty, Caterpie in a Pokéball, are you?" Ash asked, as Isamu spoke up. "I think she is scared, little brother." Isamu guessed, as he earned a glare from the orange-haired girl, before she admitted her fear of Bug Types.

"Bugs get me all bugged out! Even when they're in a Pokéball... JUST KEEP IT AWAY!" Misty screamed as she turned away, angry and scared at the same time. "Geez... So this is when you act so pathetic, huh..." Isamu said to himself, which only Eevee heard, as she snickered at the orange-haired girl's little fear. Ash on the other hand, claimed to like Bug Types as he cocked his head in confusion.

"I like bugs, even when they're not in Pokéballs! It must be great for Caterpie inside the Pokéball, cute and comfortable inside there... I love my new Pokémon!" Ash said happily as he cuddled with his new Pokémon's Pokeball, much to Misty's disgust. "I guess it takes a worm to love a worm..." Misty scoffed annoyingly, as she earned glares from the Ketchum brothers this time.

"Very funny..." Ash grumbled back. "Says you, little girl..." Isamu sighed, not impressed with the orange-haired girl. "What did you say to me!?" Misty shrieked back at the two, but mostly on Isamu. Ignoring her anger, Ash walked over to his still fainted Electric Type as he showed his partner their new companion for their journey. "Pikachu!" Ash called, catching the Electric Type's attention.

The Mouse Pokémon jumped up to see his human friend showing him Caterpie's Pokéball. "We've got a new friend!" Ash explained, allowing Pikachu to sniff the ball, before the Electric Type seemed happy to have a new friend. "Oh, Pikachu... I'm glad you like it!" Ash exclaimed, as he smiled at his Electric Type's smile. "That goes for me and Eevee, too! Nidoran is who I'm talking about." Isamu said.

"Pika..." Pikachu said again, feeling happy to have a second new friend on the team. Eevee climbed up to the older Ketchum brother's shoulder, feeling happy about a new friend, too. "Eevee! Eevee vee!" Eevee cried out happily. "That's right! And from now on, we'll catch a bunch of new friends!" Ash declared, as he stood up straight, high enough to let sunlight shine onto him.

The older Ketchum brother noticed Misty pouting and smiled a little, before he spoke to Ash about their new friends. "Hey, Ash. How about we let out new friends so that they can enjoy walking with us on our journey in the forest?" Isamu suggested, shocking Misty stiff in the process as the little brother agreed to the suggestion. "Great idea! Let's do it!" Ash exclaimed, as the orange-haired girl shakily turned to the two.

"D-Does that mean...?" Misty started, as she was too late to stop the two brothers from sending their new Pokémon out, especially Caterpie's Pokéball! "Caterpie, come out! Ha!" "Nidoran, let's go!" Both Ash and Isamu said together as thy threw their Pokéballs high in the air. Once it seemed high enough, the two newly caught Pokémon appeared, causing Misty to run away in fear.

"AHHHH!" Misty screamed. She didn't want to see or talk to the Bug Type Pokémon at all, which meant that she couldn't see Nidoran, too! She hid behind the tree, just before the two came out. She took a peek from her hiding place to see the two little Pokémon looking around curiously until they found their new trainers standing in front of them. Seeing her scared, the younger brother frowned.

"There's nothing to be scared of! Come on, Caterpie! Climb up on my shoulder!" Ash said, asking the Bug Type to climb up. Trusting its new trainer, Caterpie nodded as it began to crawl on the young Ketchum brother's arm, until it found someone interesting behind the trees! It spotted Misty shivering at the sight of itself, which for some reason made it very excited. "CATEEEE!" Caterpie shrieked happily.

The excited call startled Isamu, Ash, and Misty until the Bug Type scurried over to Misty, much to Ash's complaints and Misty's disgust. "Hey! Caterpie, come back!" Ash said in surprise. "AHHHHHH!" Misty screamed. Her scream was enough to scare some other Bug Types away as she shivered, feeling the Worm Pokémon nuzzle her happily. Isamu sweat dropped before he sighed.

"I suppose... our little friend found our big mouth so interesting..." Isamu sighed before he felt Nidoran nuzzling his left leg. He looked down and smiled, before holding his Poison Type up. "Hey there, Nidoran! I'm Isamu, and this is my friend and partner, Eevee. Nice to meet you here!" Isamu said with a smile on his face. "Eev! Eevee!" Eevee cried along, as she greeted Nidoran as well.

"Ni! Nido!" Nidoran squeaked with a smile on its face, causing the older Ketchum brother to chuckle at his Poison Type's joy. Before he and Eevee could enjoy greeting with Nidoran, they heard Misty screaming once again. "Ah... Ah..." Misty managed to stop screaming enough for her to take short breaths as Ash tried to get Misty to be friends with his newly caught Pokémon.

"Hey, Misty! Caterpie really likes you! Isn't that cute?" Ash asked. The orange-haired girl only responded with an angry yell, demanding the Bug Type to stay away from her. "GET THIS DISGUSTING BUG AWAY FROM ME!" Misty screamed, only for the Worm Pokémon to glance at her curiously. This freaked her out as she scurried away from the Worm Pokémon. "Please... don't... come any closer to me!" Misty said quickly.

She made some distance from the Bug Type, causing the two brothers to sweat drop at her cowardice. "What? You think Caterpie is disgusting?" Ash asked in disbelief. "What can you say? She is a girl, Ash. A girl who freaks out too easily with a Bug Type." Isamu said, earning a glare from the orange-haired girl once again. "I DO NOT! STOP MAKING FUN OF ME!" Misty snapped angrily.

"What was that? I thought I heard a fly buzzing..." Isamu asked, pretending not to hear. The pun left Ash, Pikachu, Eevee, and Nidoran snickering, while Misty grew red on the face this time. "Why... you... LITTLE...!?" Misty hissed angrily, as she started to stand up, until she noticed Caterpie staring at her, which left her freaking out again. "You just proved my point..." Isamu sighed in disappointment.

At seeing the human girl scared of her, the Worm Pokémon sighed sadly, until Pikachu went over to comfort her, with Eevee and Nidoran joining in. "Pika Pika!" "Eevee!" "Ran Nido." The three Pokémon said together as they tried to comfort their little friend. Hat was until Misty picked the Electric Type and the Normal Type in her hands, as she tried to make a deal with the two brothers.

"I know! You two can be friends with that creepy bug, along with Nidoran, while I'll be friends with both Pikachu and Eevee!" Misty suggested, only for Eevee to twitch and scratch her face several times. "EEEEK!? Wh-Why you little...!?" Misty screamed as she was forced to let go of the female Evolution Pokémon. She glared at Eevee, who stuck her tongue out at the orange-haired girl and ran over to Isamu.

Nidoran followed, as the older Ketchum brother looked at Misty sternly. "Eevee only trusts me and Ash, not some girl who insults a Pokémon by calling it a creepy bug. Remember that with that thick-head of yours." Isamu said sternly, catching both Ash and Misty by surprise, along with Pikachu, Nidoran, and Caterpie. Ash frowned at his brother's current face expression and attitude.

 _"That stern expression of his shows on how serious he is..."_ Ash thought, before he gulped. "Y-Yeah! What he said! And Pikachu only likes and will zap anyone who tries to-" Ash started, until he noticed the Electric Type having fun with the orange-haired girl. That left the younger brother twitching with annoyance as he glared at his Electric Type starter. "Pikachu..." Ash hissed annoyingly.

The older brother's stern expression on his face was replaced with a sheepish look on his face as he saw how the relationship between his brother and Pikachu haven't gone higher as much as he had expected. As he looked back, he noticed Caterpie giving Misty a puppy eyed look, leaving the orange-haired girl freaked out once more as she screamed once again.

"It's so gross... Ash! Put that slimy thing back in the Pokéball! Bugs are one of the three most disgusting things in the world!" Misty shrieked, as Ash walked over, scoffing at her. "Aside from you, what are the disgusting things?" Ash asked irritatingly, irking Misty to glare at him. "Very funny! Carrots! Peppers! And bugs! Everybody has something they don't like and I don't like bugs!" Misty screamed angrily.

This only caused the younger brother to tease Misty even more as he made a taunting face to her, while sticking his tongue out as well. "Yeah!? Well, I like carrots and peppers AND bugs! What I DON'T like, is the way you're hurting Caterpie's feelings with your silly fear of bugs!" Ash snapped angrily, much to Misty's annoyance as she turned away, pouting once again.

"This is getting quite tedious, if you ask me..." Isamu sighed, as he facepalmed. "Eevee..." "Nidoran..." Both Pokémon agreed, as they saw how Misty was hurting the poor Bug's feelings. Ash knelt down to the Worm Pokémon and tried to comfort it. "I don't think you're ugly or disgusting at all, Caterpie! Come on! Climb up on my shoulder!" Ash assured with a soft smile on his face.

Caterpie cocked its head in wonder, before it turned to his three friends, as all three nodded together in response, all saying to go up on Ash's shoulder. "You're not gonna scare Misty any longer!" Ash assured, which finally made Caterpie comply with a nod. As it climbed up to the the younger brother's shoulder, it gave a glance at Misty, who seemed confused on what Ash meant.

"What do you mean, he won't scare me?" Misty asked, with a hint of annoyance on her face. "He's saying... We're leaving without you." Isamu explained as he turned to both Eevee and Nidoran, as he asked the Poison Type to follow him, which Nidoran nodded to. The older Ketchum brother began to walk ahead with Eevee and Nidoran at his side, as Ash followed with Caterpie and Pikachu.

At seeing the two brothers leave, the orange-haired girl glared at the two leaving. "Oh yeah!? I'll show you both!" Misty snapped as she grabbed her bag to trail after the boys. What she didn't notice was a shadowed figure that was following her, too.

* * *

As the two brothers were walking, both Eevee and Pikachu gave a turn on their heads to see Misty following from behind, with the distance being lower and lower. "Eev! Eevee!" Eevee said, whispering into her trainer's ear. "Pika Pi!" Pikachu called along, as Isamu turned, while Ash looked at his partner in confusion. "Huh? What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash asked, until his brother spoke up.

"The bug hater is following us. That's what they're trying to tell us, Ash." Isamu said sternly, catching the younger brother by surprise until he noticed Misty following after them! At being noticed, the orange-haired girl hid behind the trees, much to Isamu's annoyance. "If you're going to follow us, then stop being so silent! And stop stalking us, too." Isamu said sternly, as he folded his arms.

"N-No way! Your little brother there owes me a bike! I'm holding him responsible for my bike!" Misty protested, leaving the younger brother annoyed this time. "When are you going to get over that dumb bike!?" Ash snapped, leaving Misty to glare at him back.

"For your information, Mr. Pokémon Master, you're the dumb one! Because of you hadn't destroyed it in the first place, I could've ridden out of here by now!" Misty snapped angrily. The insult to his brother left Isamu twitching in annoyance as his younger brother argued back. "I told you I'd made good out of your bike one day, AND... if I'm so dumb, then how come you're still following me and my brother!?" Ash snapped back.

"I'm not following the two of you! This happens to be the fastest way out of the woods!" Misty retorted, until Isamu glared at her. "Watch your mouth, girl. Because if you insult my brother... you're insulting me, too. And I've had quite enough about you and your bickering about that stupid bike of yours! My brother only took it for a Pokémon's life! If he didn't do so, one of them would be dead right now!" Isamu snapped angrily.

That shocked the orange-haired girl as she widened her eyes, while gaping a little at the older brother's reasoning. "So... Answer me this. Are you saying your bike is worth much more than a Pokémon's life!? Because if you say yes, then you must be a horrible excuse for a Pokémon Trainer, worrying over a stupid bike rather than worrying about a Pokémon's life!" Isamu asked coldly.

"N-No! That's not what I... I..." Misty tried to protest, until she found it hard to counter Isamu's words. Ash on the other hand, frowned at his brother's temper. _"Once he lectures someone of the flaws in their words... no one can use their words to counter back... This is one of the things that makes my brother so scary, besides his face expression and the glare..."_ Ash thought in worry.

Misty finally gave up, before she bit her lips. Before she could say anything, there was a scream, catching the three's attention. "NOOOOOOO!" A girl's voice rang out, as the three widened their eyes in surprise. "What was that!?" Misty gasped. "Someone screaming... A girl?!" Isamu grunted as he ran to where he heard the screaming, leaving Ash and Misty behind.

"Wait! Big bro! Wait for me!" Ash pleaded as he ran after his older brother. "Hold on!" Misty cried along. But Isamu didn't bother to slow down as he knew what the screaming could mean. _"If someone screamed that loud, then that someone must be under attack by someone or a wild Pokémon!"_ Isamu thought seriously as he pushed through the bushes.

Once he made it to where the girl had screamed, he widened his eyes to see a troubling scene. There was a girl with yellow hair and a ponytail. She had a slim body, while wearing a long-sleeved black shirt under her yellow tunic dress that is edged with green and blue tights. She also wore purple ankle boots, making her look like a small cowgirl, but without a hat.

She had a small Pikachu with a daisy on its forehead, making it look like a female Pikachu. Surrounding her and her little Electric Type were four Pokémon that looked like bees, as all were aiming to attack! "What the!?" Isamu snapped as he scanned the, with his Pokedex. "Who are these Pokémon, Dexter!?" Isamu asked quickly, as Dexter responded with full details.

 _"Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokémon. This Pokémon is an evolved form of Weedle, following its Kakuna stage. Its sting_ _is highly poisonous."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed. As it finished, the older Ketchum brother noticed the Beedrills getting closer to the little girl and her Pikachu, as the two hugged each other for dear life. "P-Please... Don't... hurt... us..." The girl stuttered while sobbing.

This snapped Isamu as he glared at the Bug-Poison Types angrily as he commanded his two Pokémon to attack, while summoning Pidgey to battle, too. "Eevee! Nidoran! And Pidgey! Attack the Beedrills with all your might!" Isamu yelled, as the two nodded together in understanding. The Evolution Pokémon sped her attack using Quick Attack as she bashed two of them away!

Nidoran on the other hand struck the third one with Double Kick. For the Tiny Bird Pokémon, the battle-loving Flying Type slashed the fourth one with a Gust attack, blowing the Bug Type away! The four evolved Bug Types backed off a little, until they noticed who their opponents were. While they were distracted, Isamu ran over to see if the girl and Pikachu was alright.

"Hey! Hey!? You okay!?" Isamu called, as the girl nodded feebly. "Mm hm..." The girl said weakly, until she widened her eyes again. "Eek! Look out!" The girl screamed, causing Isamu to turn in surprise. He managed to see another Beedrill aiming to strike at him this time! Before the Beedrill can attack, Eevee ran over, bashing the Bug-Poison Type away with a Tackle attack!

"Nice! Thanks for the save, Eevee!" Isamu complimented with a smile. "Vee!" Eevee cried out happily as Nidoran stabbed another one with a Horn Attack. "Keep those attacks sharp, Nidoran!" Isamu complimented again. "Nido! Nidoran!" The Poison Type cried out with a nod as the Poison Type battled on. Pidgey took his turn, bashing another one away with all its might.

"That goes for you too, Pidgey! Keep it up!" Isamu complimented again. "Pid! Pidgey!" Pidgey chirped with a nod, as the three kept battling, until the four Beedrills were soon exhausted from the battling. They flew off, escaping their ruthless enemies as Isamu wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Phew... Well, that was a close one." Isamu sighed, with his three Pokémon agreeing.

For the little girl and her Pikachu, the two of them were amazed. They have never seen such teamwork before. The girl stopped the staring as Isamu kenlt down in front of her. "Are you okay?" Isamu asked again, as she nodded again. "Y-Yes... Chuchu and I are safe now... thanks to you." The girl said weakly, with the female Pikachu agreeing. "Pika..." The Pikachu named Chuchu cried along.

"Hey! Big bro!" Ash cried out, catching Isamu and the girl's attention, as they saw Ash and Misty coming to their way. "Huff... Huff... What... What happened?" Ash asked, as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Is everything okay?" Misty asked in worry. Before Isamu could respond, the girl smiled sweetly and nodded. "Mm hm! I'm fine, thanks to um... What's your name?" The girl asked, before she turned to Isamu in confusion.

"I'm Isamu Ketchum, from Pallet Town. And of course, you know my three Pokémon: Eevee, Pidgey, and Nidoran, right?" Isamu answered calmly, as he gestured to his three Pokémon, as they all nodded in confirmation with small smiles on their faces. "I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, too! My brother and I are both aiming to become the world's greatest Pokémon Masters in the world!" Ash exclaimed.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu cried along, as he stood besides his trainer. "Oh yeah! And this is my Pokémon, Pikachu! Along with Caterpie here!" Ash explained, showing her two Pokémon to the young girl. "Oh wow..." The girl said in amazement. "And the orange-haired girl here is Misty! She may look okay, but she can be quite crazy and annoying, too!" Ash explained sarcastically.

That ticked her off as she glared at the younger brother with a murderous look on her face. "What... did... you... just... SAY TO ME!?" Misty screamed out loud. Her screaming scared some of the bird Pokémon away, as well as frightening some other Bug Type Pokémon. The girl frowned at her attitude and made her request. "Could you please not yell? I hate it when people yell like what you just did..." The girl requested.

That stopped the orange-haired girl's anger as she sweat dropped for her sudden yelling. "Oh? Uh... Heh heh... Sorry about that..." Misty apologized before she glared at Ash, who was whistling innocently, while looking up at the sky. At seeing the two completely against each other, the Electric Type sighed, knowing that it may take a while for the two to be friends with each other.

 **That night...**

Warmed up by the fire, Isamu invited the girl, whose name is Yellow, to join them on their hike in Viridian Forest until they were out, which Yellow accepted as she was soon in Isamu's sleeping bag, leaving Isamu to sleep out at the cold night alone. "Mm... We better get some sleep, you guys. Tomorrow is going to be a big day." Ash reminded, as both Pikachu and Caterpie nodded in agreement together.

"Pi!" "At!" The two agreed together, until Misty snapped at him for talking. "Well, we'd all get some sleep if you'd shut your big mouth!" Misty snapped angrily, causing the young Ketchum brother to turn and glare at Misty's backhead, as he scoffed, before turning to his older brother. "Hmph! Don't let the bed bugs bite!" Ash said sarcastically, leaving Misty to 'humph' back.

"Ignore her, Ash... Being a hot-tempered geek is what she is best at." Isamu said, cheering his little brother up. "Ha ha... Guess you're right, bro..." Ash agreed, chuckling at the thought of Misty shouting out her temper to the world. His smile and laughter stopped when he noticed his brother not in a sleeping bag, as Yellow and Chuchu took his.

"Hey... Bro... are you sure about sleeping near that tree? You could get cold from the night!" Ash said, trying to reason with his older brother to sleep warmly. It was useless, as the older Ketchum brother smiled at the concern. "Don't worry, Ash. You should get some sleep for yourself. I'll be fine, promise." Isamu assured, leaving the younger brother to frown even more.

"Well... Okay..." Ash said, before he closed his eyes. Soon after, he fell asleep, leaving both Yellow and Isamu awake. The young girl still felt sorry for the boy as she tried to give the sleeping bag back. "Are you really sure about this, Isamu? I mean... the night can be pretty chilly..." Yellow asked, only for the older Ketchum brother to smile back with a shake of his head.

"I told you, Yellow... I'll be fine. Besides, I have Eevee with me." Isamu assured. "Eevee! Eev!" Eevee agreed as she snuggled Isamu on his chest. Pidgey was sleeping on a tree where Isamu was settling on. Nidoran on the other hand, slept next to the fire to keep itself warm from the chilly air. Feeling doubtful again, Yellow wanted to protest again, but she knew that it was no use doing so.

She laid her head back down, with Chuchu in her arms. Then, the two fell asleep, leaving Isamu still wide awake for a moment as he placed the back of his head on the tree, ready to sleep until he heard a conversation going on between Caterpie and Pikachu, which caught his attention. The two were speaking to each other, causing Isamu to frown since he couldn't understand Pokémon language.

Eevee perked her ears to see her trainer turning his full attention to both Pikachu and Caterpie, as she turned her head to see Caterpie feeling excited about his evolved form. Pikachu supported Caterpie with exciting words as he smiled, saying that he would be happy to support the Bug Type's dream to fly one day, which he could, if he were to evolve into a Butterfree.

Once their conversation about Caterpie's dream was over, the two little ones stared at the moon, both amazed at the full moon's light shining high in the sky, making the scene look beautiful. Eevee smiled, understanding Caterpie's wish to evolve as she turned her head to Isamu, who only smiled back. He rubbed her head softly, causing Eevee to cuddle him back.

The two smiled at each other, before they felt sleepy. Eventually, the older Ketchum brother and his Normal Type starter fell asleep, as they felt warm with each other, despite the air being a bit chilly. They both knew that tomorrow might be a big day, like Ash had said before.

 **The next morning...**

"KYYAAAAAHHHHH!" A scream shocked Ash, Isamu, Yellow, Eevee, Pikachu, and Chuchu as they all woke up with a jolt to see Misty screaming in fright. Ash, still in his sleeping bag, hopped over to Misty, feeling frantic about her panicking. "Wait...! What's wrong! Ah! What's happening!?" Ash asked, looking around frantically, until Isamu found the problem.

"I think Caterpie is the one that made her scream, Ash." Isamu said, annoyed with the orange-haired girl's immature behavior. He glanced to see Pidgey yawning a little while flying down, before he glared at Misty in annoyance. He was having his nice beauty sleep, until it was completely interrupted by the human girl's scream.

The same went for Nidoran as he was annoyed with the sudden screaming, too. The Poison Type rubbed his eyes, before he gave a dirty glare to the orange-haired girl. "You guys feel the same, huh?" Isamu said, whispering his question to the two. Both of his Pokémon nodded in agreement, as Eevee cried out her agreement, too. "Well... So do I..." Isamu said, before yawning.

His yawn was interrupted by Yellow giggling at Misty's obvious fright, which Misty noticed. "It's not funny! I mean... what is this thing doing, sleeping near me!?" Misty shrieked, as this stopped Yellow from giggling. Her smile turned into a frown, as she does not approve of people calling Pokémon a thing, especially when Pokémon were living beings, just like how they are.

Ash on the other hand, found it funny as he grinned in amusement. "Huh? Ha ha! Caterpie just wants to be your friend!" Ash explained, until his words were shot down by Misty's yelling. "If that THING wants to be my friend, it can stop bugging me already!" Misty screamed as she glared at the Worm Pokémon for being near her the whole night.

"If you're a Pokémon, get out of my face, and get into that Pokéball!" Misty screamed, telling the Bug Type to stay away. This, however, cracked Caterpie as tears began to well in his eyes. The Ketchum brothers and Yellow all noticed this as they glared at the orange-haired girl for her inexcusable behavior. "Oh, Misty! You are so unbelievable! Caterpie means you no harm! Why it likes you, I'll never know!" Ash snapped back.

Yellow didn't say anything as she gave Misty a dirty look, before turning away. Chuchu did the same, as she didn't like this kind of behavior, especially with this human. Isamu did the same as well, as he scoffed at the orange-haired girl's behavior. Out of all the things she had to do, she just had to hurt Caterpie's feelings by calling it a thing, while insulting it again at the same time.

"You're pathetic, you stupid girl." Isamu hissed coldly, startling Misty before she glared back. She gave a 'humph' and turned away, while Ash tried to comfort his deeply hurt Bug Type Pokémon. He crawled after it, trying to cheer his Pokémon up. "Caterpie? What's the matter? Come on, speak to me!" Ash said, only for his words to be futile.

He could only watch as the Worm Pokémon willingly went back inside his Pokéball, not wanting to come out for a while. "Hey, hold on, Caterpie!" Ash called, as he tried to call his Bug Type out, but to no avail. Pikachu tried to do the same, knocking on the ball several times, only to get nothing in response. This left the younger brother annoyed as he glared at Misty for her hurtful words to Caterpie.

"Alright, Misty! You owe Caterpie an apology! Pokémon have feelings too, you know!?" Ash snapped, only for Misty to ignore him as she turned away, still feeling icky about the little Worm Pokémon. "He's right. You were going way too far on this one, you big bully!" Yellow shouted along, catching the orange-haired girl by surprise. "M-Me? A bully?" Misty said in surprise.

"You shouldn't be so surprised, considering the actions you did in the past few days. One, you insult my brother for destroying your bike, when it was needed for emergency! Two, was for stalking us when that bike was just some dumb thing. And finally, you insult a poor Bug Type Pokémon like Caterpie! This is more than enough reason for you to be called a hot-tempered geek." Isamu said harshly, intensifying his glare at the orange-haired girl.

"That's..." Misty tried to say, as she found it hard again to counter the older brother's words. Ash on the other hand, tried to cheer his Bug Type up, even when it was inside a Pokéball. "Come on, Caterpie! Don't you worry! Someday, we'll show her!" Ash assured, leaving Misty to sigh a little, as she felt guilt starting to creep up inside her body.

The guilty feeling melted away a little as she and the others noticed something flying past them! The four trainers all looked to see a Flying Type Pokémon, who looked like Pidgey, but even bigger and more intimidating. Excited at this, the younger Ketchum brother knew what Pokémon it was. "Wow! It's a Pidgeotto!" Ash exclaimed as he scanned it with his Pokédex.

 _"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of the Pidgey_ _. It is armed with sharp claws and dives from the sky to capture its prey. Unlike the more gentle Pidgey, Pidgeotto can be dangerous. Approach with extreme caution."_ Ash's Pokedex buzzed, leaving the younger brother to frown at the sharp details, as he got ready to capture it, similar to the way he did with Caterpie.

He first turned to Yellow, who had Chuchu in her arms. The female Electric Type seemed to like Ash's Pikachu as the two talked with each other yesterday before bed. With the conversation they had, the female Electric Type felt like she had a crush on the male Electric Type as she had blushed a little at seeing Pikachu speak to her very nicely and in a calm way.

"By the way... Do you know how to catch a Pokémon, Yellow?" Ash asked, as the young girl blinked, before shaking her head as an answer. "Mm mm... I never really thought of going out on a journey, you see... I was planning to become a Pokémon Nurse someday, so I came in the forest to see if I could study the Pokémon and plants here... even for my young age." Yellow explained.

At the explanation, Misty was surprised at hearing this, while the Ketchum brothers were amazed with the little girl. "Wow... That's... kind of cool." Misty said, complimenting the little girl. Forgetting her anger on Misty, Yellow smiled brightly at her. "Thank you." Yellow said back, before she turned back to the younger brother.

"So, I really don't know how to catch one... But if you would show me, maybe I might understand on how to do it. I will need more Pokémon to be with me and help me. I don't want Chuchu to work alone with me." Yellow explained, before she rubbed Chuchu's head, much to the Electric Type's content as she purred with the soft touch.

"I see... So that's how it is, huh..." Isamu said in understanding. "Vee..." Even Eevee looked amazed at hearing Yellow's dream. For the young Ketchum brother, he grinned, before he turned back to the evolved Flying Type. "Well then, I'll just show you right here and right now, by catching it with this Pokéball!" Ash assured as he took out an empty ball, while facing Pidgeotto.

"Alright, Pidgeotto! Ha! I'll show you who's the dangerous one around here!" Ash said, as he prepared to throw the Pokéball at the evolved Flying Type, which Isamu noticed on. "Ash, wait! Not right now!" Isamu said, trying to stop his little brother. But, it was too late as the younger brother had already thrown the ball at the Bird Pokémon.

"Pokéball, go!" Ash called as he threw the ball at it. It was only until the ball was deflected by the Flying Type's wing, causing the ball to roll back towards Ash. "Uh..." Ash said in disbelief, as Yellow frowned. "Um... I don't think that's how it's supposed to go, Ash..." Yellow started to say, until Misty butted in, scolding the young Ketchum brother for his foolish mistake.

"You don't get it, do you!? You don't just throw a Pokéball and capture a Pokémon! You have to make it battle and weaken it first! The only reason you got to catch Caterpie is because it's already a weakling!" Misty snapped, which irked Ash a little, as he rose his head up a little, annoyed for being scolded by a girl. Isamu sighed, seeing that his little brother still needed to learn more to become a true Pokémon Master.

"I know what I'm doing! And you better quit picking on Caterpie, okay!?" Ash snapped back, before he warned the orange-haired girl to back off. "And now, if you'd kindly keep your big MOUTH shut, you'll see on how it's done!" Ash assured, as he picked up Caterpie's Pokéball, preparing to capture Pidgeotto once again.

"Caterpie, go!" Ash called as he sent his Bug Type out to battle. At hearing Caterpie's name, Isamu widened his eyes in shock and in disbelief. "Wait... what!? Ash, no! Not Caterpie!" Isamu tried to say again, as his words came too late again. The Worm Pokémon appeared, facing Pidgeotto, much to Misty, Yellow, Pikachu, and Eevee's shock and surprise.

"This doesn't look good..." Isamu said to himself with a groan.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

 **Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

 **Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

 **Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

 **Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Misty: You seriously don't know how many mistakes you've made when battling Pokémon, didn't you!?

Ash: Hey! Don't blame me, especially since you don't seem to care about Caterpie!

Yellow: That's just cruel... Bullies bullying about Pokémon... That's something that I really don't like about.

Isamu: You really care about Pokémon, don't you? Same here. I just hope that Ash stays careful.

Jessie: Prepare for trouble, little boys! We'll be taking your Pokémon right now!

James: And make it double, for today will be you pleading us for mercy!


	6. A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers!

**Chapter 6: A Battle for the Ketchum Brothers**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", in Viridian Forest, the Ketchum brothers have captured the Caterpie and Nidoran that confronted them in the wild. While Ash started to bond with his first caught Pokémon, Misty began to freak out as Caterpie wanted to bond with and be friends with her.

Annoyed at Misty's tomboyish style and attitude, Isamu began to berate her cowardice until the three heard a scream from up ahead, causing the older Ketchum brother to run over and find that a girl and a Pikachu were being attacked by a group of Beedrill! Fiercely fighting them off, Isamu and his theee Pokémon defeated the Bug Types and saved the girl.

The girl was revealed to be a shy Trainer named Yellow, who was wandering around in the Viridian Forest with her female Pikachu, Chuchu. The next day, once again, Misty was freaked out by the surprise wake up by Caterpie, as Ash discovers a Pidgeotto, which he tries to catch by sending out Caterpie, much to Isamu and the girls' shock and dismay.

* * *

"Caterpie, go!" Ash called as he sent his Bug Type out to battle. At hearing Caterpie's name, Isamu widened his eyes in shock and in disbelief. "Wait... what!? Ash, no! Not Caterpie!" Isamu tried to say again, as his words came too late again. The Worm Pokémon appeared, facing Pidgeotto, much to Misty, Yellow, Pikachu, and Eevee's shock and surprise.

"This doesn't look good..." Isamu said to himself with a groan. Ash on the other hand just smirked as he tried to brag about it to both Misty and Yellow. "Ha! I told you I knew what I was doing!" Ash said as the orange-haired girl only glared at the little brother for his stupidity of advantages and disadvantages.

"You don't have any idea of the mistake you just made, did you!?" Misty snapped, causing Ash's smile to falter as he widened his eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" Ash asked, sweat dropping. Before Isamu could answer, a shriek caught the four's attention as they all turned to see Pidgeotto chasing after the screaming Caterpie!

"Ah! Caterpie!" Ash gasped as Isamu gritted his teeth. "Any Bug Types like Caterpie are like food to an evolved bird Pokémon like Pidgeotto up there!" Isamu snapped as Pidgeotto dove down to catch the Worm Pokémon, only for it to miss barely! Once it missed, the chase continued on as Caterpie was having the chase for its life!

"Caterpie, counterattack!" Ash said desperately. At the call, the Worm Pokémon tried to stand up for himself, only for it to be futile as Pidgeotto bashed him away! The attack knocked Caterpie straight into a tree, causing it to groan in pain. At seeing its prey cornered, the evolved Flying Type dove for Caterpie, much to Ash's worry.

"Caterpie!" Ash could only cry out its name as Isamu glared a two his little brother. "Ash! Don't just stand there! Call him back to his Pokéball!" snapped Isamu, alarming the little brother as he took out Caterpie's Pokéball before he returned his injured Worm Pokémon. "Ah... Caterpie, return!" Ash said quickly.

The red beam of the Pokéball sucked Caterpie inside just in time, causing Pidgeotto to hit its beak on the tree! While it struggled to get free, the younger Ketchum brother turned to Pikachu, sending him out for battle. "Pikachu! Go!" Ash said, which the Electric Type did so as it rushed out to battle!

It was by then Pidgeotto freed itself from tree and flew up in the air, only to give Ash the chance to strike back. "Pikachu! Use Thundershock!" Ash cried out loud. At the command, the basic Electric Type attack zapped Pidgeotto, stunning it enough to let Ash throw another Pokéball at it! "Pokéball, go!" Ash called as he threw the ball at the Flying Type.

Isamu, Misty, Ash, and Yellow all watched as the ball sucked the evolved Bird Pokémon inside. Once it was sealed, the ball began to shake as the little brother watched to see if the capture was a success or not. A few more shakes, and the ball stopped, showing that the capture of Pidgeotto... was a success.

This was enough to let Ash cheer for his second capture of a Kanto Pokémon. "Mm... Yes! We caught Pidgeotto!" Ash said happily as he made a peace sign for himself. Pikachu copied Ash's peace sign, causing Isamu and Eevee to both sigh together, along with both Nidoran and Pidgey.

 _"He still has a lot to learn if he's going to become a Pokémon Master..."_ Isamu thought dryly, as he clearly remembered on how the battle and the capture of Pidgeotto went for his little brother. Ash, however, didn't seem to think like that as he began to brag about it to the girls as he grinned for his success.

"I am the greatest-" Ash started only for Misty to cut him off. "You are the worst! You have no idea what you're doing! It'll be a long time before YOU'RE a Pokémon Master, in a million years!" Misty snapped as Yellow sadly agreed with her. "She's right... With the way you put Caterpie at risk, it's going to be hard to become the best Trainer." Yellow said sadly.

Shocked to see Yellow siding with Misty, the little brother tired to explain. "I'm trying to-" Ash started as the orange-haired girl interrupted him again. "You should try to learn something about Pokémon first! With Pokémon, you've got to use strategy! Pidgeotto is a bird! Caterpie is a worm! Birds eat worms, Mr. Pokémon Master!" Misty snapped again.

This left the little brother to stutter this time as he frowned. "Well, if you try hard enough, things will work out! Won't they?" Ash asked as his older brother spoke up this time. "No, Ash. I don't believe it goes that way." Isamu said, shocking the little brother as he turned to face his brother. "Isamu...?" Ash said in surprise.

"I don't like to side with anyone, but both Misty and Yellow are right. Not knowing what a Pokémon has the advantage over will put you in a serious risk, which could easily make you lose a battle or lose a Pokémon that you really want to catch. If you're going to become a skilled Trainer, Ash, then you should try to be more careful." Isamu explained.

Stunned by his brother's lecture, Ash grew speechless as Isamu continued on. "Look, Ash... I'm not trying to say you're looking bad right now, because I know that we just started, and it's okay to make mistakes. But, you can't make mistakes all the time. Too many mistakes could make too many consequences." Isamu explained.

"Yes, that's right. There will be a chance when it could put someone else in danger, like putting a little or young Pokémon's life in danger by forcing it to battle someone that is more experienced than them." Yellow added softly, as the little brother bit his lips.

Misty watched as the older brother lectured his little brother as she frowned. Despite being the youngest, she doesn't remember being judged like that by her own sisters. They didn't care what she did or how she does things. All they cared about were themselves and about their styles.

"So, what Yellow and I are trying to say is, is that you have to judge your opponent and your Pokémon correctly, so there won't be any silly mistakes occurring in your choice of your path. Any wrong choices could lead to bad results, like what it nearly occurred with Caterpie back there. Do you get it?" Isamu explained.

"Eev! Eevee?" Eevee asked along as she got onto her trainer's shoulders. Ash bit his lips even more before he slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah... I'm sorry... big bro..." Ash said shakily, as this startled both Yellow and Misty. It sounded as if the younger Ketchum brother was going to cry!

Isamu noticed this too as he widened his eyes before shaking his head. "Ash, no. Please... Don't cry. I'm not saying you're a bad trainer, okay? I'm just asking you to be more careful, for the sake of your Pokémon, and for the sake of yourself. Do you get what I'm saying?" Isamu asked, as Ash slowly nodded again.

He quickly wiped his eyes, signaling that there were a few tears that came from his eyes. "Y-Yes... I understand, Isamu." Ash said as he looked at his older brother with a tear-stained face, as the older Kerchum brother sighed. He smiled softly st his little brother, before he gave him a comforting hug, startling Ash before he slowly accepted it.

Yellow and Misty watched as the girls smiled at seeing the brothers bonding with each other as the older brother comforted his little brother. Pikachu and Eevee both smiled happily, seeing that the two brothers were comforting each other. Even Nidoran and Pidgey found this touching as the Ketchum brothers parted from each other.

But at that moment, a cackling laugh occurred, catching the four trainer's attention. "Ah ha ha ha! How touching..." A woman's voice sneered as a man's voice rose up. "So... We meet again!" The man said as Isamu narrowed his eyes at the familiar voices.

"I... know that voice..." Ash said as the older brother nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too..." Isamu said. Yellow frowned in confusion as the wind blowed, showing three familiar figures standing in the group's way!

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

Isamu's left eye began to twitch in annoyance as he face palmed at their enemies' appearance. "No... Not this again." Ash said as Yellow grew confused. "Hold on... Just who are they?" Yellow asked as her question was immediately answered by the continuation of the evil motto.

"Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

Chuchu hissed at the evil trio as Yellow frowned. "They definitely don't look like friendly people at all..." Yellow said bitterly as Isamu said his agreement. "Of course. They're Team Rocket! Criminals of the whole Kanto region." Isamu said dryly as Ash frowned at the evil trio's bad timing at their appearance.

"Uh... We're kind of busy now, so if you could just-" Ash started, only for Jessie to silence him. "Quiet, little boy! We're not here to listen to you! We're here to get your Pokémon!" Jessie snapped as she and James pointed at both Pikachu and Eevee. "Hand over your Pikachu and Eevee, you two!" James demanded, surprising Ash as he glared at them.

"Hey! This is my Pikachu! Go out and find your own!" complained Ash as Isamu stepped in front of him. "Don't bother trying to reason with these clowns, Ash. They're thieves. They don't follow along with the rules in this world." Isamu said as Jessie smirked at the older brother's knowledge of their organization.

"At least someone here has got a brain. And besides, the only Pikachu and Eevee we want are those!" Jessie sneered as James followed her words. "We're only looking for the most rarest, most valuable looking Pokémon, kids." James said as Jessie followed it up.

"And that special Pikachu and Eevee together are just the kinds of Pokémon that we need!" Jessie finished, only to have Meowth angrily scratch their faces with his Fury Swipes attack! "You idiots! Stop giving away all our secrets!" Meowth snapped, as he kept slashing his teammates' face, causing the two to yell in pain.

Isamu sweat dropped, as he started to believe that these criminals are not so harmful after all, considering on how much 'hard work' they do with each other. "I don't believe this..." The older Ketchum brother sighed as the little brother widened his eyes at Jessie and James referring to his Electric Type Pokémon.

"Is my Pikachu and Isamu's Eevee really that special?" Ash asked as Meowth made the answer this time. "Your Pikachu's power has impressed even me! I really got the charge out of its incredible attack the last time we met! Its powers exceeds evolutionary level! And that Eevee's persistence is quite special as well-" Meowth started to explain.

But, that was the time when both Jessie and James got their revenge by kicking Meowth to the ground several times! "Now you're the one that's giving away all our secrets!" Jessie snapped back. "Shut up before you tell them everything!" James snapped, much to Meowth's pain as he complained about the pain he's given.

"Cut me a slack and cut it out!" Meowth snapped, causing the two teammates to stop as they turned back to the four trainers, as Jessie sneered for another demand of the two starters. "Make things easier for you two, and hand over your Pikachu and Eevee!" Jessie demanded as Isamu narrowed his eyes with a scoff.

"You honestly think we're going to let you steal our Pokémon just because you ask? You better think twice, you blithering idiots." Isamu hissed darkly, earning tick marks from both Jessie and James. "Well! Looks like someone is ready to fight!" James snapped as the little brother stepped up, refusing the demand as well.

"Forget it! You heard what my brother said!" Ash snapped as this left the two Team Rocket members to take out their Pokéballs! "Then, you leave us with no choice!" James said as he and Jessie summoned out their Poison Types! "Pokémon battle! Ekans, go!" "Koffing, go get them!" The two cried out loud.

The purple snake and the purple gas appeared, both glaring at their incoming opponents. They stared down at Pikachu, much to Ash's complaint. "Hey! Two against one! That's cheating!" Ash snapped as Isamu's stepped up, with Eevee at his side. "Not anymore! We'll take them on together!" Isamu said as he got ready to fight.

Seeing his brother getting ready, the little Ketchum brother nodded back before he turned to his opponents. Jessie sneered before she flicked her long hair. "Well, as we say, all's fair and love war and Pokémon battle!" Jessie sneered as Ash gritted his teeth.

"I say that that's saying rotten and so are you!" Ash snapped as James only sneered. "Of course we are! We're the bad guys!" James countered back as Misty stepped up with a frown. "Well, since they're using two Pokémon, I don't see why the two of you don't the same!" Misty snapped as Isamu glared back at her.

"No one asked you, Misty! And besides, we were just about to do that! In a Tag Battle!" Isamu said as Yellow nodded softly with a small smile on her face. "That makes it fair for both sides, whether they're bad guys or not." Yellow said softly. "Chu..." Chuchu agreed as the battle began.

 **Jessie & James: Ekans / Koffing VS Ash & Isamu: Pikachu & Eevee**

James smirked before he made the first move. "Koffing! Sludge attack, now!" James called out loud. At the order, the Poison Type spat black sludge at Pikachu's face! It blinded the little Electric Type, shocking the Ketchum brothers and the two girls as they turned to see that the Mouse Pokémon was defeated by being blinded!

"Tch... How annoying!" Isamu hissed to himself as Eevee felt the same as she glared at her two opponents. Nidoran and Pidgey got ready to help if their Trainer needed it as the older Ketchum brother made his first attack. "If you're going to blind us, we'll blind you back! Eevee, use Sand-Attack!" Isamu cried out loud.

At the call, the Normal Type kicked sand at both Ekans and Koffing's eyes, blinding the two as Jessie and James gasped to see their Pokémon blinded this time. "Oh no, Koffing!" "Ekans, no!" The two gasped as Meowth groaned in annoyance before he stepped up.

"You really got to stop letting me do all the work! Meowth, you're mine, you little furball!" Meowth shrieked as he lunged at Eevee, only for Isamu to counter back. "Don't count on it! Eevee, send him eight back with Quick Attack!" Isamu called, as the speedy move knocked Meowth away and slammed onto the ground!

"Meowth!? Gah... That hurts..." Meowth groaned as Ekans and Koffing rose up together! They didn't seem to be blinded anymore as Yellow showed her concern. "No, it's two against one again!" shrieked Yellow as Ash held Pikachu in his arms, before he glared at the evil trio for their dirty tricks from before.

"If you think your dirty tricks are going to beat us, then you're wrong!" Ash snapped as he turned to Misty. Seeing Ash stare at her, the orange-haired girl blinked as the little brother tried to convince her to hold Pikachu. "They might try anything to get what they want, but no matter what happens, don't let them have Pikachu! Understand?" Ash asked.

Misty widened her eyes in surprise as she watched as Pikachu began to struggle with being blinded by the Sludge attack! The orange-haired girl grew hesitant, only for Yellow to take it her in arms. "Don't worry, Ash. Leave Pikachu to us. Right, Misty?" Yellow asked as she turned to Misty, much to her surprise.

"Huh? Oh... Yeah. But, what about the other two?" Misty asked as the little brother reached for another Pokéball. Jessie took a step, impatient for another battle. "So? What's your big battle plan, boys?" Jessie asked as Isamu narrowed his eyes.

He turned to his little brother, who thought of a Pokémon that could possibly be a match to the evil trio. _"I can't send out Caterpie, it's too weak from that last battle! And there's no chance that Isamu can handle these guys alone for too long!"_ Ash thought as he realized that there was only one Pokémon that he could use for now.

He twisted his cap backwards before he summoned his next Pokémon. "Pidgeotto, go!" Ash called as the evolved Flying Gype appeared from its Pokéball! It flew up high into the air as Isamu smiled. "Good! An evolved Pokemon should be more of a match for these guys!" Isamu said, as Jessie and James only smirked at that comment.

"Koffing, it's grim time." James said as Koffing floated up in the air to target Pidgeotto! The evolved Bird Pokémon flew around the Poison Type, as it tried to dodge while attack at the same time! "Ekans! Go get your dinner!" Jessie shrieked out loud.

At the order, the purple snake hissed at Pidgeotto, only to annoy both Isamu and Eevee as the older Ketchum brother called out an attack. "I won't let you, you old witch! I'm your opponent! Eevee, use Bite!" Isamu yelled out loud. Catching Ekans by surprise, the Evolution Pokémon bit its tail, causing it to hiss in pain!

"Ekans! Shake that furball off!" Jessie shrieked as Ekans struggled to move, with Eevee keeping her teeth clenched onto the tail. At seeing Ekans distracted, the little brother saw this chance to strike the Poison Type. "Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled, causing the evolved Flying Type to dive down for a speedy attack!

Seeing it coming, Jessie called another order for her Poison Type. "Ekans! Go underground!" Jessie cried out loud. "And Koffing! You use Tackle on Eevee!" James added as Koffing dove towards the Evolution Pokémon, as Isamu countered back again.

"Quick! Let go of the tail and use Tackle!" Isamu called as the female Normal Type released Ekans' tail, before she bashed Koffing away head on! "No way!" James gasped as Ekans successfully dug underground! Startled by this, Pidgeotto stopped its Quick Attack and looked around to see where its enemy was at.

But at that moment, Koffing recovered from Eevee's attack and floated right behind it! "Pidgeotto! Behind you!" yelled Ash, alarming the Flying Type as the Poison Type shot small smokes at it, before the Flying Type blew them off with his wings! Then, some sludge attacks were sent to the Flying Type, causing Pidgeotto to dodge again.

"Tch... This is getting tedious! Eevee! Help Pidgeotto with Quick Attack, on Koffing!" Isamu snapped. Understanding the orders, the Evolution Pokémon jumped high into the air to strike at Koffing, only for Ekans to come out from underground and smash her away! All the trainers gasped to see that Eevee had been knocked down.

"Eevee!?" Isamu gasped as Pidgeotto was surprised to see its comrade got taken down as it struggled to dodge more of Koffing's attacks. At seeing the success of their battle, the evil trio began to cheer with their Team Rocket fans in their hands! "We're gonna get a Pokémon! We're gonna get a Pokémon! We're gonna get a Pokémon!" They sang out loud.

Eevee struggled to stand as she watched as Ekans and Koffing corner Pidgeotto high in the air! "Gust Counterattack, Pidgeotto!" Ash yelled as the Flying Type tried to blow its wind at Koffing, only for the Poison Type to dodge and attack from behind with Tackle! Ekans then struck Pidgeotto, defeating it once and for all.

Shocked to see his evolved Flying Type defeated, the little brother returned Pidgeotto back into his Pokéball. "Ah! Pidgeotto, return!" Ash cried as he recalled his fainted Flying Type. Isamu continued on the battle as he faced the enemies alone. "In that case, Eevee! Stay strong and use Quick Attack!" Isamu yelled out loud.

At the order, the Evolution Pokémon managed to get up and bash Ekans with her speedy attack! But this was a trap as Koffing attacked Eevee from behind with Tackle! The Evolution Pokémon squealed in pain as she was knocked down, nearly defeated. "No! Eevee!" Isamu said as Yellow widened her eyes. "That's... That's not fair, you cheaters!" Yellow shrieked.

"Well, of course we don't fight fair. We're the bad guys, so there!" Jessie laughed as Isamu held Eevee in his arms. The four trainers all glared at the evil trio as Jessie made her warning once again. "Guess you two have no choice! Give both Pikachu and Eevee in and watch Team Rocket win!" demanded Jessie.

Isamu gritted his teeth, before he felt something nudging his leg, causing him to look down and see Nidoran looking at him for permission to fight. "Nidoran... Mm. Alright. I'm counting on you. Avenge Eevee with your battling skills!" Isamu said, allowing the Poison Type to fight against his enemies.

Nodding, the Poison Type glared at his enemies, as Meowth only scoffed at the glare from Nidoran. "Ha! That little pipsqueak thinks he can beat us? Team Rocket? That has got to be a joke!" Meowth laughed, until something kicked him, Jessie, and James down! The trio all yelped as they fell on the ground, all stunned by the surprise attack.

"Argh! What was that!?" James snapped as Isamu smirked. "That was Nidoran, of course! Nidoran doesn't just have attack strength, but his speed can be very tricky to beat, too!" Isamu exclaimed, causing Jessie to grow a tick mark on her face. Pidgey watched in amusement, to see that his new comrade was overpowering the enemies.

Perhaps he won't need to interfere after all, since his Trainer ordered Nidoran alone. "That little...! Ekans, attack!" "Koffing, go get 'em!" Jessie and James snapped together as the two Poison Types started to gang up on their little opponent, much to Yellow's despair and Misty's surprise.

"Nidoran can't handle two opponents at once! Ash! You have to help your brother!" Misty said as Isamu glanced at his little brother, who slowly took out another Pokémon. But Pikachu, not wanting to lose against his enemies tried to squirm out of Yellow's grip, who in response held him tight.

"No, Pikachu! You can't battle with your condition like this!"protested Yellow. "Pika. Pikachu Pi." Chuchu agreed with a concerned tone in her voice. That seemed to have stopped the Electric Type from struggling as the younger Ketchum brother looked at his Pokéball, frowning, as he was unsure on what he should do.

Misty noticed this and tried to ask, "Ash, what are you-" But, her words were interrupted by Ash as he prepared to send out his already weakened Pokémon. "I already know that you're weakened by that battle with Pidgeotto... But now, Caterpie, you're my only hope! Just give it your very best shot!" Ash said out loud.

Isamu frowned, as he looked back at Ekans and Koffing, who were struggling to catch or attack Nidoran. "Why do I get the feeling that this battle will be over quick for those morons...?" Isamu asked himself as he watched as his little brother summoned his Bug Type out for battle.

"Caterpie, go!" Ash yelled as the already weak Worm Pokémon was out, as it panted from its last battle with Pidgeotto! At the sight of it, Jessie, James, and Meowth all sweat dropped at seeing the Bug Type, as Ekans and Koffing were also surprised to see such a tiny Bug Type facing them in battle, too!

All of Isamu's Pokémon were bewildered to see their Trainer's brother using their already weakened comrade as the evil trio were bewildered by the choice. "What's that?" James asked with twitching eyes. "It's a bug! A measly little bug!" Meowth exclaimed, ticking Yellow off all of a sudden.

"Measly... little... bug!?" Yellow hissed to herself silently. Then, her expression became worse as Team Rocket began to laugh at Caterpie. "Ha ha ha ha! Let's get the bug spray!" Jessie laughed as Yellow glared at the evil trio. Then, she screamed at the evil trio, stunning them with her furious voice.

"MEASLY LITTLE BUG!? HOW DARE YOU BULLIES CALL A POOR CATERPIE A MEASLY BUG!? WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR IT, HUH!?" Yellow bellowed out loud, causing Misty to hold her back. "Yellow, calm down!" Misty said as Isamu sweat dropped at the sudden yell.

"Looks like I have two girls to be careful of..." Isamu said as he turned to see Ekans and Koffing lunging at Caterpie, who shrieked in shock as he ducked his head down, frightened by their large appearance. Pikachu heard Caterpie shrieking in fright as he called for the Bug Type in worry. "Pika!" Pikachu cried out loud.

Misty and the calmed down Yellow watched as the battle went on. "Hang in there..." Misty said as the Poison Types started to get closer to Caterpie! Isamu gritted his teeth as he called for Nidoran. "Stop them, Nidoran! Protect Caterpie, quick!" Isamu yelled out loud.

At the call, the little Poison Type jumped right in front of the weakened Worm Pokémon, ready to protect his little friend. Eevee called for both Nidoran and Caterpie in worry, while Pidgey just watched as Ash had an idea for his Bug Type. "Caterpie! String Shot, now!" shouted Ash.

At the call, the Bug Type rose his head up to see the bullies lunging at both him and Nidoran! Jumping besides his Poison Type friend, the Worm Pokémon shot a mass of string at Koffing first, trapping it as the wrapped up Poison Type fell to the ground, defeated with one attack!

Isamu and his three Pokémon all widened their eyes in surprise to see that the little Bug Type was able to defeat Koffing with one attack as the String Shot hit Ekans as well! Once the head of the snake was wrapped, Caterpie called to the surprised Nidoran, catching his attention.

Turning to his Bug Type friend, Caterpie made calls and sounds to ask if Nidoran was ready. Understanding of what his little friend was saying, the Poison Type nodded as the two Pokémon slammed both Ekans and Koffing away with Horn Attack and Tackle! The two were sent flying, much to Jessie and James' surprise.

"Wha!?" Jessie gasped as James gaped at the little defeat. "Beaten by a Caterpie and a Nidoran...!?" James said in disbelief. Jessie, on the other hand, glared at her opponents with annoyance. "That really bugs me!" Jessie growled as Meowth smirked, before he stepped up. "Now, watch a REAL Pokémon in action!" bragged Meowth as he unsheathed his claws.

"You? A real Pokémon? That's a laugh..." Isamu said bluntly, as Eevee and Pidgey agreed with their Trainer's words. Nidoran prepared to attack, until Caterpie stopped him, before he shot another String Shot, wrapping Meowth completely inside, making it a defeat for the talking Pokémon, too!

Both annoyed at their defeat, the two Team Rocket members returned Ekans and Koffing, while they picked up Meowth, before making a run for it! "It's time Team Rocket blasted off!" Jessie snapped as the two ran off, holding their wrapped up Meowth in their hands. "You may have won this round, but we'll be back!" James shouted as they were soon out of sight.

 **Winner: Ash & Isamu**

Misty and Yellow stepped up as the orange-haired girl called to her enemies with a taunting tone. "Come back anytime! We'll be glad to beat you!" Misty said, before she stuck her tongue out at them. While the girls were taunting Team Rocket, Ash just stood, as he was stunned by his first battle victory.

"We did it... Ha ha... We did it! Big bro! We won our first Pokémon battle fair and square! Yeah! Yeah! YEAH!" Ash cheered as he jumped up and down, as Isamu only laughed at his little brother's excitement for their first victory. "Yeah... We really did win... in a surprising way." "Eevee..." "Nido!" "Pidgey..." Isamu said, as his three Pokémon followed along.

As he stopped cheering, the younger Ketchum brother held up Caterpie, congratulating it for its victory. "Caterpie, I'm very proud of you! You really did your best, and we won because of you!" Ash thanked happily, before he turned to Isamu's Nidoran, too. "Hey, Nidoran? Thanks for looking out for Caterpie." thanked Ash.

Nidoran just grinned, before nodding in acceptance as Misty and Yellow walked over to the Ketchum brothers as they complimented both Nidoran and Caterpie for their victories, too. "You're stronger than you look, Caterpie!" complimented Misty as Yellow smiled sweetly at the two.

"I'm really glad that you two made it out fine in that battle with those bullies." Yellow said in relief, as both Nidoran and Caterpie nodded together, while they smiled as well! At seeing the girls compliment Caterpie, the little brother smirked as he turned to Misty with Caterpie in his arms.

"Well, Misty... I guess you feel different about Caterpie now!" Ash said, startling the orange-haired girl as she took a step back. Her fright for Bug Types started to get to her as she stammered while speaking. "I-I... Well I..." Misty started as Isamu walked over, before making an idea for her and Caterpie.

"Oh really? Well, if that's the case, why don't you two make up? All you need to do is pet Caterpie once and thank it for the great effort it did with Nidoran." Isamu said as he rubbed Eevee's head, along with Nidoran's, causing the two to growl in content as Pidgey flew down on his right shoulder.

Yellow seemed to like the idea as she agreed. "That's a great idea! Come on, Misty! You also owe the poor little thing an apology, too, remember?" Yellow asked, surprising Misty as she sighed in defeat. "Y-Yeah... I-I guess you're right... You're all right..." Misty agreed as she gulped before turning back to the Worm Pokémon.

Approaching it carefully, the orange-haired girl slowly started to put her hand on the Bug Type, until Caterpie shot string in the air, shocking Misty as she jumped back in fright. Ash and Yellow on the other hand, were both surprised to see Caterpie doing such thing as they frowned at the Bug Type.

"Caterpie? What's wrong?" Ash asked as Isamu smiled. "There's nothing wrong, Ash. Caterpie's just about to evolve!" Isamu explained, surprising the girls and his little brother. "Evolving...?" Yellow repeated in surprise as Pikachu, Pidgey, Eevee, Chuchu, and Nidoran all watched in amazement.

The younger Ketchum brother was more ecstatic to witness his first Pokémon evolution! "Caterpie! This is so great!" Ash exclaimed as the string surrounded Caterpie, creating a cocoon of some sort, turning it into a green cocoon Pokémon! "Who's that Pokémon?" Yellow asked as the eldest Ketchum brother smiled.

"That's a Metapod... Caterpie's first evolved form." Isamu explained as Ash took out his Pokédex to scan his newly evolved Metapod. _"Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon and Caterpie's next stage. It has encased its body with hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered Pokémon of this variety."_ buzzed Dexter.

This amazed the little brother as he grew excited for more of Metapod's evolution. "Hey... Maybe that means you can keep on changing and go onto the next stage right away!" Ash exclaimed. "Pi Pika Pi!?" Pikachu exclaimed, as he was also excited for evolution, too.

"Well, Metapod needs to keep battling in order to evolve again... This time, into a Butterfree." Isamu said, catching Yellow by surprise. "A Butterfree, huh...?" Yellow asked softly, before she smiled as she rubbed Chuchu's furry head, who sighed in content.

Taking Metapod in his hands, the little brother greeted his newly evolved Pokémon with a grin. "Nice to meet you, Metapod!" Ash said, as Metapod only responded by blinking his eyes, causing the younger Ketchum brother to chuckle at the silent treatment. "Not in the mood to talk?" Ash chuckled as he and Pikachu laughed along.

Isamu only smiled, as he rubbed Eevee's head, while stroking Pidgey's feather, causing the two to smile in content. He then rubbed Nidoran's head, thanking him for the effort he put in his first battle. "Thanks for the help, Nidoran. You really helped me and Eevee by a lot." Isamu said softly, earning him a grin from Nidoran.

"Nido! Nidoran!" Nidoran said happily back, until he was startled by Misty screaming. "AHHHH!" Misty screamed, alarming the older brother and his three Pokémon in the process. The eldest Ketchum brother turned to see Misty screaming at seeing a Beedrill fly past her as the orange-haired girl protested at staying in the forest.

"Ah! I'll do anything! Let's just get out of this forest!" Misty shrieked out loud, as Ash watched, seeing the Beedrill fly away deeper into the forest, leaving the little brother even more curious and determined to capture all the Pokémon that he can. "Ha ha! No way! There's still plenty more Pokémon in this forest!" Ash exclaimed.

He ran after the Beedrill, with Yellow and Isamu running besides him! Misty quickly grabbed her bag and ran after her three companions. "Hey! Wait for me!" Misty cried as Isamu took the lead in the running. "Try to catch up, you guys!" Isamu laughed as he ran all the way, with his little brother, Yellow, and Misty following behind.

With Metapod's evolution, and their first Trainer battle victory, the four trainers were on an adventure that they would never forget someday...

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

 **Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

 **Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

 **Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

 **Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Yellow: Hm... I just wonder how big this forest is... It's like a wild, but a calm maze around here...

Samurai: HAAIII-YAAAH! Are you two the trainers that comes from the town of Pallet?

Isamu: Y-You moron! Do you realize that you could've nearly slashed us apart with your sword!?

Ash: I'll prove to you that I'm not a novice! I can just be better than my brother... with a Pokémon battle!

Samurai: You're such a novice... This should be easy, unlike those other trainers from the town of Pallet.

Misty: Ahhhh! Just why are there so many bugs in this forest... HUH!? A swarm of Beedrills!


	7. Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!

**Chapter 7: Samurai Strikes! A Bug Battle!**

"AHHHH!" Misty screamed out loud. Ash, Isamu, and Yellow all turned to see the orange-haired girl climbing up a tree in fright as the older brother twitched his eyes in annoyance. "Ugh... What's with you now? Don't tell me it's because of another bug!?" Isamu snapped in annoyance as Misty confirmed his answer.

"Uh huh... It really is! I think I see another bug! Gross!" Misty shrieked out loud, causing Isamu to face palm while causing Yellow to sigh before she smiled sadly for her companion. "It can't be that bad, Misty. What kind of bug is it?" Yellow asked as the little brother had an idea of what it could be.

"Maybe it's a... Cowter-pie!" Ash said in a cow suit, causing Misty to fall from the tree, while causing Pikachu and Eevee to fall over as Yellow blinked in confusion. Isamu on the other hand, chuckled a little at his brother's sense of humor while the orange-haired girl wasn't amused at this kind of joke.

"That wasn't funny! You know that I hate bugs and I saw one right over there!" Misty snapped as Isamu walked over to eee what it was with Eevee on his shoulder. As he watched, a different looking bug, similar to Caterpie inched up to the group, causing the older Ketchum brother to sweat drop with a shake of his head.

"Oh please... You're scared of a little Weedle? I might understand if it's because of the poison needle on its head, but come on... Some Pokémon like these can be harmless when they're not threatened or insulted." Isamu said in disbelief, earning a glare from Misty as she expressed her hatred for bugs once again.

"Didn't I already tell you, huh!? I'm the kind of person that doesn't like Bugs! Even if it is a Pokémon or if it's harmless!" Misty snapped out loud, annoying Isamu as he sighed. Ash on the other hand, came over and scanned the Poison-Bug Type with his Pokédex. "A Weedle!" Ash exclaimed as Dexter explained.

 _"Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokémon. The stinger on this Pokémon's head guarantees that any attacked will get the point right where it hurts."_ buzzed Dexter as this made Ash interested to capture it for his team. "Stinger, huh? Now there's a challenge..." Ash said, bewildering Misty as she tried to remind him again about Weedle's poison.

"What are you so excited about a Bug with a stinger! Make it go away!" Misty shrieked as Ash smirked at her tone. "You've got to be kidding! You can't possibly expect a great Pokémon Trainer like me to let Weedle escape! I'm gonna catch it!" Ash said with a grin. The older brother raised an eyebrow in amusement as he watched.

"This should be amusing... First Caterpie, and now a Weedle... It's a Bug Type catching marathon for Ash, huh?" Isamu asked Eevee silently, who only giggled at the thought of Ash trying to capture all the Bug Types in the world.

The two watched as the little brother reached for a Pokéball until he remembered something; one of the basic steps to capture a Pokémon. "Oh! I almost forgot! You have to weaken the Pokémon before you capture it first! Come on, Pikachu!" called Ash as he turned to his Electric Type partner.

The only response that he got was a snoring Pikachu who turned away from his Trainer to continue on with his nap, causing the four humans and Eevee to fall over as the little brother smiled nervously. "Taking a nap, huh?... Okay... Snooze, you lose. There's still Pidgeotto and Metapod to do the job. And they give me the respect that I deserve!" Ash bragged out loud.

That caused the orange-haired girl to scoff at hearing the word respect from the younger Ketchum brother. "You deserve to have your head examined!" Misty snapped, until she opened her eyes to see Weedle looking up at her, looking interested and curious of her!

"Uh oh... That's not good." "Chu..." Yellow said with Chuchu agreeing. And she was right. Misty started to grow pale as she gritted her teeth and screamed as she ran off, knocking Weedle down at the same time! "Eeeeek! Don't just stand there! Catch it!" Misty yelled desperately as she ran for her life.

Yellow blinked before she ran after her companion, trying to slow her down. "Hey! Wait, Misty! Hold on!" cried Yellow as she ran after her, leaving the Ketchum brothers alone by themselves for now. "Aren't you going to go after them, big bro?" Ash asked as the older brother smirked before shaking his head.

"Nah... It's much more comfortable staying here, being away from that scaredy-cat." Isamu said calmly. "Eevee!" Even the Evolution Pokémon seemed to agree as the two watched silently to see Ash attempting to capture his new Pokémon.

Blinking, the little brother nodded with a smile, as he accepted his brother's decision before he looked back at Weedle. "Okay! Suit yourselves! Have no fear, Ash is here!" Ash cried out as he twisted his cap before taking out Pidgeotto's Pokéball. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash called out loud as his evolved Flying Type appeared for battle.

As soon as Pidgeotto came out, the battle began. "Pidgeotto! Gust attack, go!" Ash cried out, allowing the Bird Pokémon to blow Weedle away with his wind! Once that was done, the Flying Type flew up in the air to blow Weedle away several times, knocking the Hairy Bug Pokémon away several times, much to Ash's content.

"Yeah! That's the way to do it!" Ash cried out, as Isamu watched. "Looks like little bro can handle this one all by himself. What do you think, Eev?" Isamu asked, turning to his starter. "Vee! Eevee!" Eevee cried, as she seemed to have the same thought as her Trainer as she only gave a smile to the older Ketchum brother.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The four run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

"This whole forest is crawling with slimy and disgusting Pokémon! I'd wish they all just bug off!" Misty snapped as she stomped her way through the forest as Yellow tried to calm her down. "Misty, please... You should know that not all Pokémon are disgusting in this forest... There are some that are not bugs!" pleaded Yellow.

This stopped the orange-haired girl as she turned to Yellow in confusion. "Oh yeah? Like what?" Misty asked as Yellow smiled. "Well, you know! Pokémon like Rattata, Pikachu, and all kinds of forest Pokémon. Even Grass Types, too! There should also be a lake in this forest, where they could be some Water Types around!" Yellow explained out loud.

This interested Misty as she turned to the shy girl with a questioning look on her face. "Hold on... How do you know most of the Pokémon in this forest?" Misty asked as Hellow explained. "My father sometimes took me out here for a small hike in the woods, since he knows that I love both Pokémon and nature at the same time." Yellow explained.

This surprised Misty as she didn't realize that her shy companion had traveled in this forest before. "Your father? Where is he right now?" Misty asked as this caused both Yellow and Chuchu to pale as they looked at each other before the shy girl made a small request to the orange-haired girl.

"Um... I, uh... ran away from home... So, I don't know what he could be doing right now." Yellow explained, shocking Misty as she couldn't believe of what she was hearing. "Y-You ran away? But why?" Misty asked as she was more curious than ever.

Seeing how questioning Misty looked, Yellow sighed before she explained. She rubbed Chuchu's head softly before explaining her story and the reason for how she ran away from her hometown.

"You see... When I met Chuchu the first time here, I had some sort of an accident with several Beedrills in this forest. They were after Chuchu for some reason, so I didn't know on what they were attacking her for... I guess I should say... my feelings for the poor Pokémon were the reason why I protected her from the Bug Types." Yellow started to explain.

 **Flashback**

 _A younger Yellow ran across the Viridian Forest, with the injured Chuchu in her arms. She was panting, as she desperately ran from her pursuers, which were the Beedrills that looked hostile and quite unfriendly. "Huff... Huff... No! Go away! Leave us alone!" Yellow piped up as she tried to call the evolved Bug Types away._

 _But, they only ignored her and got ready to attack! This spooked Yellow as she screamed in fright before she tripped, falling to the ground. "Go, Doduo and Dodrio! Fury Attack and Tri Attack, go!" A man called out loud. At the call, Yellow widened her eyes to see her father's two Flying Types attacking the Beedrills while driving them off!_

 _The Poison-Bug Types were defeated as they flew away, not wanting to battle anymore as Yellow shakily stood up. She turned to see her father run to her, looking both worried and annoyed. "Yellow! Are you alright!?" Yellow's father asked as the little girl nodded slowly, while holding Chuchu close to her._

 _"What were you thinking going out to the forest like that when I told you not to-" The father started to snap until he noticed the injured Chuchu in her arms as he widened his eyes. "Is... Yellow, is that a Pikachu you're holding in your arms?" The father asked as Yellow nodded slowly before she made her words._

 _"Yes... If... If I wasn't there for her, then she would've died by the Beedrills attacking her! I couldn't just let them get to her like this! Oh please, Daddy... Please don't be mad at me..." pleaded Yellow as tears started to spill from her eyes, shocking her father as he held his daughter in his arms before he tried to calm her down._

 _"Yellow... I'm not mad at you... I'm both proud and upset that you saved that Pikachu, but you put yourself in danger because of that. Please... don't go running into the forest without letting me know. If you did that, then... You would make me scared of what could be happening to you... Alright?" The father asked, causing a Yellow to nod again._

 _"Okay..." Yellow said as she allowed her father to carry her back home with Doduo and Dodrio at her side._

 **End Flashback**

"After that incident, my dad didn't want me to start on my journey as a Pokémon Trainer... But, after having that experience, I kind of felt the nerve to travel around the Kanto region and see what other Pokémon are there with my own eyes. Just watching them on TV is kind of boring, you see..." Yellow explained.

"Oh wow... I didn't know that..." Misty said solemnly as Yellow nodded back until the girls heard a blade sound from behind them as they turned to see a boy with a samurai outfit jumping up and launching his sword towards them! "HAAAAIII-YAAHH!" The boy yelled as he pointed the tip of the blade at both Misty and Yellow!

The two girls freezes on place, while Misty shrieked in shock. Yellow on the other hand, couldn't scream due to being scared of the sword coming for her as the boy glared at them. "Greetings, young shrieking maidens. Are you the trainers whom comes from the town of Pallet?" The samurai boy asked, as Misty immediately denied it.

"Uh, no! That's not me! And neither is Yellow!" Misty said, while adding her stiff friend into it as Chuchu grew a red tick on her head. Jumping out of Yellow's arms, the female Electric Type gave the boy a shock with its Thundershock, angry that her human friend was nearly slashed apart by the sword!

"GYAAAHHH!" The boy screamed as he fell limp on the ground, as he twitched in pain. Struggling to move, due to the paralysis, the samurai boy managed to recover and get up, as he struggled to make his leave.

"A-Alas... My search continues. I advise you both to refrain from further shrieking while passing through this forest, unless your goal is to attract a horde of Beedrill." The samurai boy as he took his leave, leaving the orange-haired girl to sigh in relief. She slumped down, as Yellow did the same, though her face was still pale from the surprise attack.

"What a weird kid... I wonder why he would be looking for a Pokémon Trainer from..." Misty started to say until Yellow widened her eyes in realization. "From Pallet... Oh no... Ash and Isamu! They're in trouble!" Yellow gasped as she stood up to warm her two friends. Chuchu jumped back into her arms as Yellow ran ahead.

"Ah! Hey! Yellow, wait up!" Misty cried as she ran after her friend.

 **Back to Ash and Isamu...**

Ash was still attempting to capture Weedle as Pidgeotto fought his hardest for victory. It dove for Weedle, until the Hairy Bug Pokémon shot its head stinger towards it! "Pidgeotto! Watch out for its Poison Sting!" Ash called, causing the Bird Pokémon to dodge it just in time, earning a smile from the younger Ketchum brother.

"Ha! Nice work!" complimented Ash as Pidgeotto blew Weedle away with his speedful attack, knocking the Bug-Poison Type unconscious, allowing Ash to take out another Pokéball. "Okay! Here we go! Weedle... I've got you now!" Ash said as he prepared to capture it as his fourth member of the team.

Isamu and Eevee watched from the sides as they witnessed Ash being victorious with his Flying Type, causing them both to smile. "Looks like Pokémon number four is at Ash's hands..." Isamu started, until he stopped to see someone coming by! It was the samurai kid as he stopped right behind the little brother.

"Greetings! Am I addressing the Pokémon Trainer who comes from Pallet?" The samurai boy said as Isamu blinked to see a sword scabbard on the boy's left side. "What is he...? He better not be planning to do what I think he's doing!" Isamu snapped as he ran over to save his little brother from the possible danger he's about to face.

Unaware of the danger he could be in, the little brother turned away and tried to capture Weedle with his empty Pokéball. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer from Pallet, but I'm a little busy!" Ash said as he tried to focus in capturing Weedle again as the samurai smirked before he unsheathed his sword.

"I have found you at last!" The samurai said as Misty and Yellow ran over to try and warn the younger Ketchum brother. "Ash!" "Ash! Look out!" Misty and Yellow shrieked out loud, startling Ash as the samurai boy jumped up, looking like he was about to Slash Ash with his sword! "HAAAAIII-YAHHHH!" The boy yelled out loud.

But before he could land, Isamu zipped right in front of him and Ash as he grabbed the samurai's right wrist before he pinned him to the ground, pinning his right arm to the back. "GAH! Ow ow ow ow ow! I surrender! I surrender! Let me go, right now!" The boy yelled in pain as he tried to free himself from the older Ketchum brother's tight grip.

"Shut it... You have no reason to be living especially if you're trying to kill someone with that sword, you moron!" Isamu snapped as his grip grew tighter, causing the boy to yell in pain again. "OW OW OW! I said, I surrender! Mercy! MERCY!" The boy yelled, causing the older brother to finally release him from his grip.

Shocked to see that he was nearly face to face with a sword, the younger brother tried to act tough by glaring at the samurai boy with some grave words coming out of his mouth. "Ah... Ah... That sword doesn't scare me even if you did try to cut me down! There's no way you're stealing my Pokémon!" Ash said shakingly.

Yellow and Misty joined up with their two companions as the samurai kid struggled to stand up, due to the tight pin Isamu had given him. "N-Ngh... I am no... Pokémon thief... I'm not... even a murderer, too!" The samurai boy struggled to say as Misty frowned at the samurai boy. "Who are you, then?" Misty asked suspiciously.

"You better have a good reason for pointing that sword at us when there's a chance you could accidentally cut someone down to size like that!" Isamu snapped harshly, causing the samurai boy to flinch as he shook, while waving his arms in denial as he tried to explain with pained and stuttering words.

"Um... I am Samurai! I am also shrewd, fearless, and completely invincible condon! I have been searching in the forest for you!" Samurai explained as he out his sword back in his sheath, causing Yellow to frown at the small introduction. "You didn't look so fearless when Isamu pinned you down..." Yellow whispered in disbelief.

"Chu..." Chuchu hissed as she glared at Samurai, who tried to explain. "M-My apologies... You see, I sometimes like to intimidate other Trainers by pointing my samurai sword at them, and by challenging them to a Pokémon battle!" Samurai explained as the little brother frowned. "You mean to say..." Ash started, as Samurai interrupted.

"It's exactly what you think! I wish for a Pokémon match! Let us see who triumphs!" Samurai called out loud as he took out a Pokéball, while facing Ash for a Pokémon battle. The younger Ketchum brother widened his eyes as he remembered something as he turned to see Weedle getting away!

"Oh! I forgot about Weedle! I'll get it! Pokéball, go!" Ash called as he threw his ball at the Poison-Bug Type, only for the ball to miss and allow Weedle to escape! The little brother groaned as he returned the disappointed Pidgeotto back into its Pokéball. "Pidgeotto! Return!" Ash said as he returned the Flying Type back into its Pokéball.

Once that was done, he glared at the Samurai, who distracted him from capturing the Hairy Bug Pokémon. "That Weedle only got away because you mixed me up!" Ash snapped, as the samurai boy only smirked at the little brother.

"Don't blame your failure on me! Your Pokémon handling is dim-witted and clumsy!" Samurai said, annoying both Ash and Isamu as the little brother confronted his arrogant opponent. "What do you know about Pokémon!? I bet I can beat you in a Pokémon match blindfolded!" Ash snapped, making his challenge.

Samurai seemed to have accepted the challenge by raising his Pokéball to his face with a challenging expression on his face. "There's only one way to find out..." Samurai said, until Isamu stood in front of Ash, with an angry look on his face. "Uh... Big bro?" Ash said in surprise as the older Ketchum brother turned to Eevee.

Understanding his Trainer's anger, the Evolution Pokémon nodded back before she glared at the Samurai, who blinked in surprise. "If you want to battle my little brother, you're going to have beat me first, you miserable excuse for a Trainer!" Isamu said harshly, startling Ash, Misty, and Yellow, while causing Samurai to flinch as well.

"Oh no... When Isamu gets angry about something... it's never good." Misty said with a slight frightened look on his face. "I can understand if it's because of the sword nearly slashing Ash down, but this is kind of too much!" Yellow said in fright as the younger brother tried to get his older brother to reconsider.

"Hye, bro! This is my battle! I can do this by myself, you know!?" Ash protested as Isamu looked back. "I know you can handle this punk, Ash... But this guy... took things way too far to challenge any Trainer to a battle with a demand like that. Pointing at other Trainers with a sword? That should be considered illegal." Isamu said as he got ready to battle.

Widening his eyes, the younger brother bit his lips before he backed off, allowing his older brother to do the first job. "So, I take it then you're another Trainer from Pallet? If so, I will gladly accept your challenge!" Samurai said as he got ready to battle.

"Even if I wasn't a Trainer from Pallet, I wouldn't have given you any option if you wanted to battle me or not, considering that you almost slashed someone apart with that sword! Eevee, get ready for a battle!" Isamu said as the Evolution Pokémon let out a battle cry before jumping out to face Samurai.

"An Eevee, eh...? Pinsir, come out and fight!" Samurai said as he summoned a brutal looking Pokémon, surprising the girls and Ash as Isamu narrowed his eyes. "Pinsir... Pfft... Another hostile Pokémon..." Isamu said dryly as he scanned the tough Bug Type with his Pokédex, allowing Dexter to explain the details.

 _"Pinsir, the Stag Beetle Pokémon. This fearsome Pokémon uses its powerful claws to put the squeeze on its opponents."_ Dexter buzzed as the battle began.

 **Samurai: Pinsir + 1 VS Isamu: Eevee + 1**

"Eevee, start this off with a Quick Attack! Confuse Pinsir with your speed!" Isamu yelled as the Evolution Pokémon and obeyed by speeding towards the Stag Beetle Pokémon as Samurai tried to counter back. "Pinsir, catch and crush that Eevee with Vicegrip!" Samurai called as the Bug Type lunged towards Eevee with its pincers!

"Hmph. Don't underestimate Eevee's power just because she looks so small. A small Pokémon will have the advantage over a big Pokémon with speed! Charge through, Eevee!" Isamu yelled as the Evolution Pokémon zipped herself out of the way, causing the Vicegrip attack to miss, much to Pinsir's surprise.

"Argh! It's so fast! In that case, Pinsir, use Focus Energy!" Samurai called as then Stag Beetle stopped its offense to try and land a critical hit, only for the older Ketchum brother to counter. "I won't let you charge up! Eevee, strike at Pinsir directly with your Tackle attack!" Isamu yelled out loud.

He punched his fist toward the opponent, which was the same time Eevee bashed Pinsir away with Tackle, breaking the Bug Type's concentration for a direct attack. "No way!" Samurai said in surprise as Yellow looked amazed. "Wow... Eevee is really fast and strong!" Yellow said in surprise as Misty was amazed, too.

Ash on the other hand, smirked at seeing his brother looking victorious. "Heh, what did you expect? My brother is really great at a situation like this!" Ash exclaimed, complimenting his brother's battling style as Isamu continued on attacking without hesitation.

"Now, Eevee! Use Bite!" Isamu called, causing the female Pokémon to bite Pinsir's body! The Stag Beetle Pokémon yelled in pain, forcing Samurai to recall it back to its Pokéball. "Ah! This isn't good! Pinsir, return!" Samurai said as he returned the scratched up Pinsir back in its Pokéball, letting it recover for a moment.

 **Samurai: 1 Pokémon**

"Argh... You're good... But can you take this!? Pokémon, go!" Samurai called as he sent out his next Pokémon, which was revealed to be... a Metapod? The older brother sweat dropped as Misty and Yellow fell over, while Ash was left confused.

"Hold on... But I thought Metapod can only use Harden in a Pokémon battle..." Ash said in confusion as Misty got up with an annoyed look on her face. "That's the whole deal! He's going to keep increasing his defense until his opponents are tired. That's his dull battling strategy, Ash!" Misty explained with a sigh.

Not amused by this, Isamu sighed before he gestured Eevee to come over, which she did as the older Ketchum brother took out another Pokéball. "Nidoran, come on out!" Isamu said as he summoned his feisty Poison Type out for battle. "Let the match continue! Metapod, use Harden!" Samurai called out loud.

At the order, the Bug Type increased its shell's defense, as Isamu focused on cracking the shell for victory. "Defense may only work on physical attacks, but what about special attacks? Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Isamu yelled, allowing the Poison Type to shoot poison needles at the Cocoon Pokémon.

"Harden, Metapod! Again!" Samurai called as the defense rose up, as Isamu kept attacking. "Just raising your defense won't win you the battle! There will be times when you need to attack! We're ending this right now, Nidoran! Use Double Kick!" Isamu called as the Poison Type jumped high into the air and kicked Metapod twice!

The Bug Type struggled to stay standing as Isamu sighed, before ending it with one more attack. "Wrap this up with a Peck attack!" Isamu cried out, allowing the Poison Type to end the battle with a super effective attack, as the Peck attack jabbed Metapod away, strong enough to knock it down, making it defeated.

 **Winner: Isamu**

"GAH! I've been defeated!? Metapod, return!" Samurai yelled as he quickly sent out his Stag Beetle Pokémon out to treat its injuries with Metapod as the healing seem to go quick. He quickly returned his two Bug Types back to their Pokéballs as he confronted Isamu again, who watched with an unamused look on her face.

"Now... I believe you have to repent for what you've done earlier?" Isamu said coldly, causing Samurai to flinch once again. "I'm. I'm... sorry for what I did earlier with my foolish act..." Samurai said, until Ash butted in, wanting to challenge the Samurai.

"Aw, come on, big bro! No need to be so cold! Now, it's my turn to battle! Pidgeotto, do your stuff!" Ash said as he sent his already exhausted Flying Type out for battle, only to widen his eyes in surprise. As the Bird Pokémon was sent out, it was lying on the ground, feeling pooped as Misty frowned for Ash's inexperience for Pokémon health.

"Ash, don't you know that you have to let your Pokémon rest once in a while?" Misty asked as Isamu sighed. "I give up..." Isamu said to himself while shaking his head as he was comforted by both Eevee and Nidoran. While Yellow frowned, Samurai only gave a smirk, feeling victorious already.

"Only a novice goes with a pooped up Pokémon! Your blunder will cost you dearly! Pinsir, assume battle mode!" Samurai said as he sent out his Stag Beetle Pokémon out again. The brutal looming Bug Type appeared once again as it faced the exhausted Pidgeotto for battle, wanting to redeem itself for its loss against the Evolution Pokémon.

"That Pinsir looks tough... But Pidgeotto can beat it!" Ash said confidently. "Pidgeo!" chirped Pidgeotto, who got up and ready to fight. Isamu frowned at this as he watched with the girls. "What do you think will happen, Isamu?" Yellow asked as the older Ketchum brother made his guess for the outcome of the match.

"Pidgeotto was already weakened from that battle with Weedle, so it's going to be very difficult for him to battle against Pinsir in its current condition. Other than that, there is a small chance for victory, since a Flying Type like Pidgeotto has the type advantage over a Bug Type like Pinsir..." Isamu said with a frown on his face.

 **Samurai: Pinsir + 1 VS Ash: Pidgeotto + 1**

Pinsir made the first move as it lunged for the Bird Pokémon with its pincers as Ash tried to stop it by blinding it! "Pidgeotto! Sand-Attack, go!" Ash called, allowing the evolved Flying Type to blow gusts of sand towards Pinsir, who seemed unfazed by the defensive attack! Samurai scoffed as e countered back.

"Ha! That's child's play! Pinsir! Body Slam it!" Samurai called, as the Stag Beetle Pokémon slammed the Bird Pokémon away with a strong brutal hit, knocking it unconscious as the evolved Flying Type groaned in pain. "Ha ha ha ha! Your Pokémon is beaten!" Samurai said, causing Ash to gasp, while causing Isamu to widen his eyes.

 **Ash: 1 Pokémon**

"Oh no... Pidgeotto, return!" Ash said as he returned his defeated Flying Type back to its Pokéball as Samurai began to taunt the younger Ketchum brother. "Novice! Are you ready to surrender?" taunted Samurai as Ash lashed back with a glare and a snap.

"No way! I'm just warming up! Metapod, I choose you now!" Ash cried out as he summoned his Cocoon Pokémon for battle this time, surprising both Yellow and Misty, while Samurai just laughed. "Watch and weep as my Pinsir crushes your Metapod in half!" Samurai laughed, causing Ash to gasp as he imagined on how Metapod could perish by the claws.

"Oh no... Those claws...!" Ash gasped as Misty tried to get Ash to stop the battle. "Ash! Call off Metapod! Not even a Bug deserves this!" Misty cried, only for her warning to come too late. "This match is already won!" Samurai said in triumph as Pinsir lunged for a finishing blow. "Metapod, look out!" Yellow shrieked.

Chuchu, Eevee, Pikachu, and Nidoran all watched in worry as Isamu regained his calm face. "No... There's no need to worry... Samurai made a mistake by calling Pinsir to use its claws against Metapod's hard shell... Ash!" Isamu cried out, causing the little brother to know what his older brother meant.

"Oh... Yeah! Metapod, Harden! Now!" Ash yelled, allowing his Bug Type to raise his defense as the claws broke as soon as it attempted to break the shell, amazing the four Pokémon and the girls as Misty sighed in relief. "It worked!" Misty said as Ash smirked at his opponent. "So? Now, who's the novice now?" asked Ash.

 **Samurai: 1 Pokémon**

"Pinsir, return!" Samurai said as he recalled his wounded Stag Beetle Pokémon back. "Clever! Quite clever! Metapod, go!" Samurai said as he sent out his own Cocoon Pokémon again, causing it to confront Ash's Metapod, causing Isamu to sigh.

"This battle is already over now..." Isamu said as he sat on a tree stump, confusing Yellow as she frowned. "Why do you say that? Both Metapod are looking quite healthy to me..." Yellow asked as the older brother explained. "When two Pokémon can only use one defensive move, do you know what that means?" Isamu asked.

Misty had an answer as she sat down. "It's a complete stalemate, which means neither side wins..." Misty said, causing Yellow to understand as she looked back up. "Oh, I see... Both Metapod can only use Harden, which is useful for countering offensive attacks, but useless against other defensive attacks." Yellow said before she sighed as well.

"Metapod! Harden, like his!" Samurai called as his Cocoon Pokémon raised its defensive power, forcing Ash to call Metapod to raise his defense power even further. "Maximum hardness, Metapod!" Ash said as the defense battle began with the two Cocoon Pokémon raising their defenses against each other.

And soon after that, it was a complete stalemate as the battle continued on continuously. Hours passed as the others were bored, causing them to relax in their own ways. Yellow and Chuchu started to take a nap, while Misty and Pikachu began to sunbathe by the sun, while having some cool drinks to drink.

Isamu, Eevee, and Nidoran were having some traveling snacks, while the older Ketchum brother read a book about Pokémon adventures. While they were doing that, the stalemate battle continued on. "More... power... Metapod! Samurai is weakening!" Ash grunted as he struggled to focus on the battling.

"Harder! You're the stronger one, Metapod!" Samurai struggled to say as the heat started to get to the two trainers as time went by. By the time the three trainers and their Pokémon had finished relaxing, the two boys were still locked in a complete defense stalemate as both Ash and Samurai started to sweat even more.

"Argh... Little more!" "Ngh... Metapod... Full power!" Ash and Samurai grunted together as Isamu sighed. "This is starting to get tedious... They should know by now that this match is a draw since neither of them are attacking..." Isamu said as Misty agreed with a nod and an annoyed sigh as she looked at both sides.

"We could be standing in this forest forever. Boys can be so stubborn." Misty grunted, as that statement earned a glare from the older brother. "Hey! I'm a boy, too, you know!?" Isamu snapped as Eevee and Nidoran cried out in complaint. "Eevee!" "Ran!" The two cried out, causing Misty to flinch as she smiled nervously at the angry faces.

"Ah ha ha... Yeah! I remember!" Misty said nervously as Yellow blinked. "I think both Ash and Samurai are both unable to battle. Look!" Yellow said as she caught Isamu and Misty's attention. They turned to see both trainers falling over, both still persistent as ever to continue the battle no matter how long or useless it would be.

"I guess we can finally conclude this battle as a draw, now that both of them are down for the count." Isamu said with narrowed eyes. "Eevee..." "Nidoran..." Both of his Pokémon agreed as they both sighed in disappointment.

To be continued...

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

 **Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

 **Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

 **Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

 **Chapter 12: The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Samurai: Your novice and foolish mistakes have caused you to lose Metapod and its trust, you see!?

Ash: I don't need to hear your lectures! I'll get Metapod back, no matter what it takes!

Isamu: You'd act reckless to get him back alone. I'm not letting you leave by yourself on this one.

Ash: Brother... Heh... No one could ask for a better brother than you, you know that?

Jessie: The time has come, twerps! Hand over both Pikachu and Eevee right now, or prepare for trouble!

Isamu: Imbeciles! You're going to get all of us in trouble by yelling near those Kakunas!


	8. Come Back to Us, Metapod!

**Chapter 8: Come Back to Us, Metapod!**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", with Yellow joining the group, and Ash's Caterpie evolving into a Metapod, Isamu and the others continued their way out of Viridian Forest, which proved itself to be a difficult course of the journey as the forest was like a maze.

This didn't seem bad at all for Ash as he wanted to capture more Pokémon to become the best Pokémon Trainer and become a Pokémon Master. While Yellow and Misty went to another direction, Isamu stayed with his little brother until they were warned by the girls of a samurai sword coming to Ash's way!

Using his reflexes, Isamu counters the sword and pins down the attacker, who is revealed to be a Bug-Catcher Trainer named Samurai, who wanted to challenge the trainers from Pallet Town to a Pokémon battle.

Accepting it out of irritation and annoyance for pointing the sword at his little brother, Isamu quickly made work of Samurai's Pinsir and Metapod in battle.

Shocked, but still strong by the quick loss, Samurai then challenged Ash, berating him of being a novice for letting Weedle get away and for forcing Pidgeotto to battle even in its weakened state!

The battle ends in a stalemate when both trainers were left with Metapod using Harden against each other for the whole afternoon, which leads to the others' disappointment.

* * *

"I think both Ash and Samurai are both unable to battle. Look!" Yellow said out loud as she caught both Isamu and Misty's attention. The two turned to see both trainers falling over, while still being persistent as ever to continue the battle no matter how long or useless it would be.

"I guess we can finally conclude this battle as a draw, now that both of them are down for the count." Isamu said with narrowed eyes. "Eevee..." "Nidoran..." Both of his Pokémon agreed as they both sighed in disappointment.

"You two are more hard-headed than your Metapods!" Misty snapped in frustration as both boys that were in battle kept twitching as neither of them wanted to quit even when they knew what the results were. Before Isamu could speak up, both he and the girls heard buzzing coming in close!

Yellow was the first to raise the question as she held the now scared Chuchu close to her. "Wh-What's that noise? It's coming closer and closer..." Yellow said while shivering as Chuchu held onto her shirt. "Chu..." Chuchu said, feeling frightened as well.

Samurai quickly got up as he knew what the answer to the question was. "A Beedrill swarm is coming through! Our match must end! Metapod, return!" Samurai called as he returned the unbreakable Metapod back to his Pokéball, much to the surprise of the younger Ketchum brother.

Before he could protest, he quickly turned to see what Samurai saying was true! A swarm of Beedrill were closing in on him and the others that were near him! "Beedrill swarm!" Ash exclaimed as he took out his Pokédex to check for Beedrill's data.

 _"Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokémon, and the evolved form of Kakuna. Its sting is highly poisonous."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed. Samurai glared at the younger brother, as he knew the reason why the swarm was coming to them in the first place!

"The Weedle that got away from you has warned the rest of its kind!... Uh, good day!" Samurai called as he ran ahead, leaving the Ketchum brothers and the girls bewildered until a Beedrill swooped down and snatched Metapod from the ground! Isamu, Ash, Misty, and Yellow all gasped in surprise as Ash tried to call Metapod back.

"Metapod! Return now!" Ash yelled desperately as he aimed the Pokéball's red beam towards his newly evolved Bug Type, only for each shot to miss! By the time he aimed for Metapod the last time, the Beedrill carrying his evolved Bug Type has disappeared into the deeper parts of the forest!

"Oh no... It got away!" Ash gasped as Isamu widened his eyes at another one aiming for his little brother!

"ASH! GET DOWN!" Isamu bellowed out loud, catching the younger brother by surprise as Eevee quickly went to action by bashing the Beedrill away with Quick Attack! Nidoran followed by shooting poison needles at Beedrill, who winced at the small damage it took from the not effective attack.

Finally, Pikachu took action by using Thundershock on a Beedrill! However, with Ash being too close in range, the Electric Type attack shocked him as well, causing Isamu to sweat drop before he ran to grab his now dazed little brother's arm.

"Don't just stand there! Run for it, Ash!" Isamu snapped as he dragged Ash away, much to the younger brother's surprise. As Isamu lead his brother and the girls away from the swarm, the younger brother turned back to see that the Beedrill with his Metapod was missing, causing him to bite his lips and feel worried.

"But... Metapod!" Ash said as Isamu glanced back at him while running.

"There's nothing we can do for Metapod in a situation like this, Ash! Just run for now!" Isamu snapped back seriously as he picked up the pace, causing his little brother to run faster as well.

But, even with their running pace increasing, the Beedrill were still catching up as Misty shrieked to see them close behind! "Ah! They're gaining on us!" Misty cried as she tried to run faster than the boys.

Yellow kept running as Chuchu ran besides her! Eevee, Pikachu, and Nidoran all ran alongside with their trainers, all knowing that in battle against a whole swarm... they would be completely wiped out by the Beedrill's attacks.

Samurai took the lead as he jumped into the bushes to keep himself hidden! The four trainers followed suit as they managed to lose the Poison Bee Pokémon swarm before they could sting them even once. But, just as the five trainers were breathing hard from their run, they all widened their eyes on what they were seeing right now.

Right in front of them as a tree with Pokémon hanging onto the tree branches, as if they were napping or getting ready to crack out of their shells! Yellow froze in fear with Chuchu on her chest as Samurai gritted his teeth a little in surprise as he whispered the names of the Pokémon in front of them.

"A whole hive of Kakunas!" Samurai whispered out loud. Misty shrieked before she covered her mouth as Isamu scanned the evolved Bug Type Pokémon with his Pokédex. "Out of all places, why did we have to run here..." Isamu whispered as the Pokédex gathered the information and data.

 _"Kakuna, the Cocoon Pokémon. Kakuna remains inactive until they evolve into deadly Beedrills and hatch."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed as the older Ketchum brother started to creep out of the bushes to keep himself distanced from the Kakuna hive.

"Let's get out of here as quietly as we can. If we catch their attention, they could evolve into Beedrill right now and attack us if they have to!" Isamu said silently, earning nods from both Yellow and Misty as they started to follow the older brother until Ash found something near the hive!

"Hey! Over there! It's Metapod-" Ash started to shout, until Misty covered his mouth!

"Keep your voice down!" Misty whispered out loud. But, it seemed to be too late as one of the Kakunas noticed the five trainers and had its eyes glisten a little with both anger and annoyance.

Preparing to attack out of anger, it began to crack its shell and hatch, evolving into a very familiar Bug Type Pokémon! The other Kakunas followed as they hatched out of their shells, too! The five trainers and their Pokémon watched in shock as the glowing of the evolution had finally stopped.

"Beedrills! They've evolved!?" Misty shrieked as her guess was correct.

The now new angry Beedrill swarm flew in the air, preparing to attack the intruders! The five trainers could only two things. One, was to run... And two, was to scream in shock.

"WAAAAAHHHHHH!" The five all screamed together they all ran out of the bushes to make another escape from the Poison Bee Pokémon! As they kept running, they soon found themselves running towards a wood cabin with Samurai pointing it that it was his cabin.

"Hah! Hah! My... cabin! I think we can make it!" Samurai yelled as the five trainers all picked up the pace with their Pokémon before they ran inside, closing the door before the Beedrills could stab or sting them with their Poison Sting attack!

As the five trainers all managed to get in, three of the Beedrills stabbed through the door, leaving three small holes on the wooden door. When realizing that they had missed their prey, the Poison Bee Pokémon swarm swarmed around the cabin, waiting for their intruders and prey to come out.

With the coast clear and with everyone safe and sound, Ash sighed in relief, as he and the others weren't in danger anymore.

"That was close..." Ash said as Isamu peeked at the holes to see the Beedrill surrounding the cabin.

"You can say that again... I don't think it's safe to leave until tomorrow... We should settle here for now, even if it may be too tight." Isamu said as Samurai took his samurai outfit off, leaving him to look like an original Bug-Catcher trainer! He glared at Ash, berating the younger brother for his actions.

"I hoped you've learned your lesson, novice! You letting that Weedle escape almost costed our lives!" Samurai snapped as Ash glared back, his fist tightened.

"Take back that novice crap!" Ash snapped until Samurai snapped back with a scoff and a harsh glare.

"I do take it back, because not even a novice would abandon his own Pokémon just as you did!" Samurai snapped, shocking Ash as he realized on what the Bug-Catcher trainer meant. Annoyed with the blame Samurai is placing on his brother, Isamu stepped up, glaring back at the Bug-Catcher.

"You might want to hold your tongue, you pathetic excuse for a samurai. For your information, it was you that caused the Beedrill swarm to appear in the first place... thanks to you interfering with Ash's chance of capturing that Weedle you speak of." Isamu said harshly, causing both Misty and Yellow to wince.

Eevee frowned with Nidoran as Ash watched to see his brother lecture the samurai this time. "Ha! I will not be lectured by someone like you, especially with the false blame you place on-" Samurai started to say until he was lifted up in the air by Isamu, causing him to yelp in shock and surprise!

"Isamu!?" "Bro!?" Misty and Ash said in surprise together as Yellow flinched to see someone nice-looking threatening someone else.

"False? Don't make me laugh... It's the truth, and you know it! If it hadn't been for you jumping out of nowhere to challenge the two of us to a battle, Ash would've been able to capture that Weedle and prevent the swarm from attacking us! You're to be blamed for all of this! The loss of Metapod, the reason we're chased... it's all on you!" Isamu bellowed harshly.

Samurai shivered in fear as Isamu threw him back on the ground, causing the Bug-Catcher trainer to fall on his bottom.

"You're not fit to be Trainer, yet be a fake samurai or Bug-Catcher..." Isamu said dangerously, as Samurai remained speechless, with fear of being lectured or threatened again. For Ash, he clenched his fists, frustrated for not being able to save his newly evolved Bug Type.

"I tried to save Metapod... I tried, but..." Ash started to say as Isamu looked back st his little brother before he sighed as he gave a small glare at his frustrated little brother.

"Well... Your ways of saving Metapod wasn't enough, little brother." Isamu said coldly, causing Ash to look up at the older brother in shock as Misty tried to stop Isamu from talking too harshly. "Isamu, stop..." Misty started to say, until she was ignored as Isamu kept his lecture going.

"Back at the Kakuna hive, you could've had the chance to quickly return and save Metapod from the Beedrill hive. Yet, you didn't... You only pointed out loud enough to let everyone in the forest know that Metapod was with them. What do you think Metapod will be doing there, thanks to your recklessness?" Isamu scolded harshly.

Bewildered at his brother scolding him, but a bit more harshly, the little brother stuttered as he couldn't say anything to answer Isamu's harsh questions. "That's... I..." Ash said, feeling a bit broken as the older brother turned to the Bug-Catcher trainer.

"Did any other trainers from Pallet Town came through here and battled you? I was wondering why you were so interested in battling trainers from our hometown." Isamu said, causing Samurai to flinch a little before he slowly nodded and cleared his throat as he explained about the others.

"Y-Yes, they did... There were three spectacular matches! Each more challenging than the last! Those trainers really know how to raise Pokémon! Even though I was defeated all three times, I was inspired to re-double my own training." Samurai said, his fear going away as it became inspired instead.

Isamu narrowed his eyes as Ash widened to hear Gary and the other two passing through the forest already. "So, Gary and the others have already made it through here..." Ash said bitterly, while feeling upset at the same time.

"Is... this why you've been waiting for both Isamu and Ash to show up?" Yellow asked as Misty rose up to her feet as well. The Bug-Catcher nodded as he turned to the Ketchum brothers.

"Compared to you and those other three, I can bluntly say that your little brother, the novice, here was a joke." Samurai said bluntly as Ash gritted his teeth, as the older Ketchum brother scoffed, before he shook his head.

"Speak for yourself... You didn't even last two minutes in that battle. And like I said before, I believe that you were the one that caused most of this devastating event to happen! From what I can see in you, you're the real joke here." Isamu said harshly, causing the Bug-Catcher trainer to flinch again.

"Isamu..." Misty said in worry before she frowned.

"So... This is another part of his true nature... A very criticizing person who points out to know on who's to blame..." Misty said to herself silently as Yellow listened before she looked back at the Ketchum brothers.

Isamu was remaining silent and cold while Ash was upset with the way he's been treated now, along with him losing his Metapod, too. Eevee and Nidoran watched their trainer in worry with frowns on their faces, as Pikachu looked up at his upset Trainer with a worried look on his face.

"What's going to happen now if this keeps up like this?" Yellow asked to Chuchu, who didn't know what to say, either.

"Chu..." Chuchu said sadly as the awkward silent passed by.

 **That night...**

Misty, Yellow, and Samurai were fast asleep with the sleeping bags they had, with Yellow using Isamu's sleeping bag. The older Ketchum brother slept on a corner of the room with him borrowing Samurai's second sleeping bag that was used in case if someone else, like a guest or another trainer needed one for the night.

Eevee and Nidoran were fast asleep next to their trainers as Pikachu slept next to Ash as well. Isamu kept his eyes closed, but didn't fell asleep as he listened to what Ash said in the night. "Metapod..." was all Isamu could hear Ash saying as the older brother frowned at his little brother's worry.

Then, as seconds passed by, Isamu heard and noticed Ash slowly and quietly getting out of his sleeping bag before he quietly exited out of the cabin to the night outside. Narrowing his eyes in both worry and suspicion, Isamu slowly got up and followed his little brother out.

Getting out of the cabin, the older Ketchum brother noticed Ash sitting on the dirt path, looking up at the night sky. As Isamu got closer, the little brother watched the stars shine as he bit his lips for his lost evolved Bug Type.

"Metapod... I'm so sorry... I... I promise to get you back safe and sound first thing tomorrow early morning..." Ash said silently as Isamu crept up to Ash, before speaking up in a serious tone.

"You're not intending to go out there by yourself, now are you?" Isamu asked, causing Ash to yelp in surprise and turn to see his elder brother standing above him! Then, remembering how he got scolded and lectured, Ash bit his lips and said his greetings quietly to Isamu.

"Oh... Hey, bro..." Ash said before he turned away, looking back up at the stars. Sitting next to Ash, the older Ketchum brother looked up at the stars, too until he raised a question to him.

"What were you doing out here? Is this about Metapod?" Isamu asked as Ash's face darkened before he nodded in confirmation. "Yeah... And about what Samurai said about Gary and the others..." Ash said darkly as the silent returned before Ash bit his lips again as he admitted his fault to his older brother.

"Hey... Isamu?" Ash said, catching the older brother's attention. "Yeah?" Isamu said as the little brother's voice started to crack down a little, hinting that he could be crying! Isamu widened his eyes a little until Ash rose his head up and showed his eyes having tears welled up in them!

"You... You were right... About everything earlier today... When you said that I didn't try hard to protect and save Metapod... You were right. And that time when you scolded me for the reckless things I've done today... You were right about that, too..." Ash said, with his voice cracking down again.

Isamu's face and his expression softened as his little brother confessed about his faults he had made earlier as a tear streaked down on his cheek. "I just wish... there was some way for me to act a bit better, and a better Pokémon Trainer... Maybe if I haven't been so reckless today... Metapod would be safe..." Ash said, admitting his fault.

The older Ketchum brother sighed a little before he looked up at the night sky. Smiling at the bright stars shining at the night sky, the older Ketchum brother turned his eyes back to his little brother before he made a suggestion to him.

"We'll go tomorrow." Isamu said, catching Ash off guard as he blinked in confusion.

"H-Huh?" Ash asked as the older Ketchum brother smiled and chuckled at the confused face his brother was giving off.

"We're going to save Metapod tomorrow. That is what you were intending to do at dawn, right?" Isamu asked, as Ash widened his eyes in surprise before he smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah..." Ash said as the two brothers agreed together that their operation of saving Metapod would be tomorrow. With their agreement settled, the two of them looked back at the stars again until Ash spotted a shooting star zipping through the sky!

"Bro, look! A shooting star!" Ash said, catching Isamu by surprise as the older brother noticed the star as well. He smiled before he made another suggestion for himself and Ash.

"Why don't we make a wish while we're at it? This might be the only chance we'll get to do so should we have busy things to do on other times." suggested Isamu, causing Ash to agree. "Yeah..." Ash said as the two brothers closed their eyes to make their wish.

A few seconds later, they've finished speaking silently about their wishes as Isamu gave a teasing glance to his little brother.

"Let me guess... You wished to become a Pokémon Master someday?" Isamu asked, catching the little brother by surprise before he smiled sheepishly at the answer his brother gave off.

"You know me too well, huh, bro?" Ash asked as he asked the question to Isamu this time.

"What did you wish for, Isamu?" Ash asked as the older brother chuckled before he wagged his fingers, showing his refusal to speak his wish.

"Nuh uh uh... If I say what I wished for, then it won't come true. That's what people say to those that spoiled their wish to someone else." Isamu said, causing Ash to pout and demand to know the answer.

"Hey, come on! I told you my wish! So it's your turn to tell me yours, bro!" Ash complained, as this only made Isamu persistent to keep his wish a secret.

"If you want to know my wish, you're going to have to earn it by defeating me in battle someday. Maybe then I'll tell you what my wish was all about." Isamu said teasingly, as Ash smirked in amusement, as he accepted the challenge his elder brother was giving.

"I accept your challenge, bro! And I'll beat you, of course, someday! When the time comes!" Ash said with determination, earning himself another teasing look from Isamu again.

"Ha! In your dreams..." said Isamu as the two argued over the wishes they've made playfully as the night went on.

 **The next morning...**

Near the Beedrill's tree hive, the Ketchum brothers quietly snuck over to where they had spotted Metapod, without Pikachu or Eevee at their side! They didn't want to let their partners take the burden of finding their lost Bug Type friend as they went in alone, with Isamu taking Pidgey and Nidoran only in their Pokéballs.

Peeking out of the tall grasses they were hiding in, the little brother managed to spot the evolved Bug Type first, who seemed to be unharmed as it was hanging onto the tree it leaned onto.

"There he is..." Isamu said quietly as Ash nodded as he looked around to see if anything would get in their way.

Unfortunately, he had forgotten to look above as something jumped onto his head! Ash yelped, while shocking Isamu in the process as he glared to who the culprit was! It was Meowth, who didn't seem to be wanting to be quiet or silent at all!

"Do you know what Meowth's favorite game is?" Meowth asked as Ash brushed the Team Rocket member off! "Argh! Get off!" Ash snapped as Meowth jumped up to scratch him, only for Isamu to intervene.

"Buzz off, pipsqueak!" Isamu snapped silently as he punched Meowth's face, knocking him back!

"YEOW! That... is not... what... my favorite game... is..." Meowth groaned as he fell onto his back, as the older brother glared at the evil Pokémon.

"I couldn't care less on what your favorite thing is, pipsqueak! Just keep your big mouth shut and-" Isamu started to snap, until two more familiar voices interrupted him by shouting out loud!

"Guess who!?" James shouted, causing both Ash and Isamu to widen their eyes and see the two comrades of Meowth!

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite the people within our nation!"

"To denounce-"

Ash panicked as he tried to stop the two from shouting out loud as he was aware of what the Beedrill might do should they be woken up from a long sleep!

"No! Not again! Not now!" Ash panicked, pissing Jessie off as she snapped at the younger brother.

"Grrr... NEVER interrupt a Team Rocket motto!" Jessie snapped as Isamu pointed at them with a harsh glare at his face, as he was already getting pissed with his enemies showing up at a bad timing.

"Your motto is already boring, so just keep your foul mouth shut and-" Isamu started to say again until Jessie and James continued their motto, saying them louder than before!

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Keep it down before you wake the Beedrills up!" Ash said silently, interrupting their motto again. This made the two even more annoyed as they said their motto even louder!

"Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! That's right!"

But by the time they were finished with their loud motto, the Beedrill woke up! Their eyes glowed red, showing on how angry they were for the rude awakening! Ash screamed in panic while Isamu kept silent while gritting his teeth at the bad timing they were caught up in!

The evil trio didn't seem to care about the Poison Bee swarm as they demanded both Pikachu and Eevee!

"Little boys, why don't you give us your Pikachu and Eevee! There's no use trying to resist us, so be smart and hand over the two Pokémon!" Jessie demanded as Isamu glared at the three with clear annoyance at his face!

"Just shut up! We don't have either Pikachu or Eevee with us right now! And even if we did, we would never give them to dumb losers like you three! Now stay out of our way!" Isamu snapped out loud. He dragged Ash away, who understood what his brother's plan was.

"Come back here!" The three snapped together as the trio chased after the Ketchum brothers. While the chase was on, both boys were running straight for the Beedrills!

"If we can get past those Beedrills, then they might dive for Team Rocket!" Ash said as they kept running.

"You just read my mind, little brother. The timing had to be right, so get ready!" Isamu yelled as Ash nodded in understanding. "Right!" Ash said as the brothers prepared to dive down with the precise timing.

As they kept running, the Beedrills took their chance to dive down and aim to sting their intruders with their Poison Sting attack!

Right at that moment, the two brothers yelled out loud before they tumbled down together to dodge the stings that were coming to them! With the Poison Bee swarm missing their two targets, they turned to the three other targets that were right in front of them: Team Rocket.

The evil trio widened their eyes to see the bees coming for them as Jessie and James smirked in confidence as they prepared to defend themselves from the Beedrills' sting attacks.

"The tank will surely come in handy now!" Jessie smirked as James brought it up!

"It was worth the struggle dragging it here!" James said until he blinked in surprise! Both he and Jessie winced in shock to see that the Weedle were chewing onto their tank... which was made out of cardboard box!

"Meowth! They're eating the tank!" Meowth shrieked as James protested while he tried to explain the reason for this mess.

"But we made it from paper to reduce the weight!" James protested as this annoyed both Jessie and Meowth!

"Ugh! Who knew!?" "Numbskulls!" The two snapped together as they only had one choice to escape from the pains of stinging: run. The evil trio screamed as they ran off, leaving Ash and Isamu to run over to Metapod, who didn't seem happy at all to see his young trainer.

"So there you are! Here! Into the Pokéball!" Ash said, as he tried to get his Bug Type inside to safety. But to his surprise, Metapod shook his head, as if it wasn't wanting to go with Ash again, due to what happened yesterday when he and the others left it with the Beedrills and the Kakunas!

"Metapod... Looks like running away without him broke his feelings..." Isamu said as Ash widened his eyes on what his brother said. In understanding, the young Ketchum brother frowned at his emotionless Bug Type.

"Metapod..." Ash started to say, until both he and his brother heard more buzzing behind them! They both turned to see the other group of Beedrills flying towards them!

"Dammit! Ash, let's go!" Isamu called as Ash nodded, as he held his evolved Bug Type in his arms. "R-Right!" Ash said as he ran with his older brother. While they were running, the younger brother tried to explain the reason why he had left Metapod behind without trying to save him in the first place.

"I didn't abandon you, Metapod! I just got sidetracked! It was Samurai's fault- Gah!" Ash started to explain until he tripped, causing him to fall and drop Metapod from his arms! This startled Isamu as he skidded to a stop before he ran back for his brother and his Bug Type.

"Ash!? Metapod, no!" Isamu gasped as he ran over to the two until he stopped to hear Ash confess something again, something that was more truthful than his previous words.

"No... It wasn't Samurai's fault... It was my fault... If I was a better Pokémon Trainer like what Isamu meant, I'd stop making all these excuses..." Ash said silently, catching the older brother by surprise.

"Ash..." was all the older brother could say as the little brother continued on.

"From now on, I swear that I'll never run away and leave my friends behind again. No more excuses!" Ash said as he ran to pick up Metapod again. Before he did so, Isamu noticed Metapod having tears welling up in his eyes. He smiled, knowing that the Bug Type was touched from what his little brother meant.

But before he and Ash could continue moving on, he heard another buzzing noise in front of him! Both brothers gasped to see another Beedrill diving down towards with them with its needles! Misty, Yellow, Samurai, Eevee, and Pikachu ran over with the Bug net in time to see them getting assaulted!

"Oh no! Isamu!" "Ash!?" Yellow and Misty cried together.

"Watch out for its Twineedle attack!" Samurai yelled in warning, only for the warning to come too late!

Gritting his teeth, the older brother jumped onto his little brother, using his body as a shield to protect both Ash and Metapod! This process shocked Ash as he was bewildered of what his older brother was doing.

"I-Isamu!? Wait, what are you-!?" Ash gasped as Isamu snapped at his little brother, with his resolve to keep Ash safe being strong at the same time!

"Just stay down!" Isamu snapped as he braced himself for the stabbing process! "EEVEE! EEVEE!" Eevee screamed as she tried to run over to her beloved trainer, as Yellow held her back to stop her from getting hurt.

"No, Eevee! You'll get hurt over there!" Yellow cried in protest as Eevee fought her grip to escape! Before she could squirm even further, the Beedrill was already a feet away from the Ketchum brothers! "EEVEEEEE!" Eevee screamed as she called for both Ash and Isamu!

"PIKA PIIII!" Even Pikachu screamed for the two boys. Hearing the cries from both his two good friends, Metapod narrowed his eyes and jumped in front of Isamu and Ash, using his shell to block the Twineedle attack!

Beedrill shrieked in pain as it flew away, losing one of its needle arms in the process! It flew off, buzzing in pain as the Ketchum brothers were bewildered with what Metapod had done.

"Metapod!?" "No..." Ash gasped while Isamu whispered in shock as the little brother caught his cracked Bug Type into his arms. Yellow, Misty, and Samurai ran over with Pikachu, Eevee, and Chuchu as the little brother began to worry for his Bug Type's health.

"Are you hurt!? Are you okay, Metapod!?" Ash said in worry until the crack in Metapod's shell began to glow!

At the sight of this, everyone watched with amazement as something started to come out of the Bug Type's cracked space! As both Ash and Isamu watched closely, a butterfly looking Pokémon took Metapod's place as it flew out of its shell!

It gave off a cute, but bold voice as it flew around, calling to its trainer, who was still speechless of what had just occurred to his Bug Type Pokémon. The little brother knew what kind of Pokémon Metapod had become as he only said the name of it.

"Butterfree..." Ash said as Yellow and Misty were amazed at this.

"It's so beautiful!" "Wow..." The girls said together as even Pikachu, Chuchu, and Eevee were amazed. The Electric Type and Normal Type smiled together, before they looked at each other as they realized that their friend had finally gained their dream to evolve into a beautiful Pokémon!

Isamu smiled at the evolution as he took out his Pokédex to scan Ash's newly evolved Pokémon.

 _"Butterfree, the Butterfly Pokémon, and the evolved form of Metapod. One week after Caterpie evolved into Metapod, it again evolved into Butterfree."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed as the older brother smiled with the great progress his little brother made with his Bug Type Pokémon.

"Congrats, Ash... Butterfree is finally here." Isamu said with a smile as the little brother nodded with a grin as Butterfree happily flew both him and Isamu as it was overjoyed with its ability to fly.

But before the celebration can continue on, it was interrupted by the Beedrills flying up! Everyone widened their eyes to see the Poison Bee swarm coming towards them as Misty was the first to point it out.

"Here comes the other Beedrills!" Misty gasped as both Ash and Isamu got ready to battle, until Butterfree flew in front of them! He chirped bravely, as he wanted to battle the Beedrills for the two brothers as the younger brother blinked in surprise.

"Butterfree...?" Ash asked as the Bug-Flying Type nodded, asking Ash to give him some orders! Understanding Butterfree's desires to battle, the little brother nodded as he called for Butterfree to attack.

"Okay! Butterfree! Knock them out with your Sleep Powder!" Ash yelled, pointing at the Beedrills. Understanding his command, the Butterfly Pokémon flew high into the air and began to spread some powder causing his opponents to fall asleep!

One by one, the Beedrills began to fall down, falling asleep by the Sleep Powder's effect! Not only did it affect the Beedrills, however, it even affected the Weedles chewing on Team Rocket's cardboard tank and the evil trio themselves, too!

"YEAH! You did it! You've put them to sleep! Butterfree, you're the best!" Ash cried out happily as Butterfree chirped happily as well, seeing his powers doing all the work for him and his human and Pokémon friends.

"You were able to handle your Butterfree so well, just after it evolved! Most impressive!" Samurai said with an impressed look on his face. Isamu watched as Ash cheered for the success of Butterfree's evolution and for their triumph against the Beedrills and Team Rocket!

"Well... We did it again, and it's all thanks to both Ash and Butterfree..." Isamu said with a sigh of relief. Eevee jumped onto his shoulders, nuzzling her nose onto the older Ketchum brother's left cheek as Isamu rubbed her head back in response.

Later, after the five trainers managed to escape from the Beedrills and Team Rocket, Samurai led the four to the exit of the forest and the route to where Pewter City was!

"This path will take you to Pewter City!" Samurai said as Ash said his thanks first to the Bug-Catcher Trainer.

"That's great, Samurai! But before we leave you, Samurai... We still have to finish our match!" Ash said as the Bug-Catcher trainer chuckled at that, as he admitted his level to the younger brother.

"Compared with you, my friend... I am the novice. But I will keep perfecting my techniques and one day... We will meet again!" Samurai said, making a promise to Ash. The younger brother smied and nodded in agreement.

"I am sure it will be a one spectacular match." Ash said with a smile. "That is guaranteed." Samurai said as Misty narrowed her eyes before giving a reminder to the two boys.

"Just promise not to match Metapod versus Metapod again..." Misty said as Pikachu nodded in response, agreeing with what the orange-haired girl said. "Pikachu..." Pikachu said as Isamu sweat dropped at the two.

"Hey... There won't be a Metapod versus Metapod now that Ash's Metapod became a Butterfree... in case you need to be reminded." Isamu said dryly as this statement caused the girl to sweat drop, feeling a little silly to be called out like that.

With the conversation done, the four trainers began to say their farewell to the Bug-Catcher trainer.

"Until next time we meet, Samurai." Isamu said as he began to take his leave first.

"Right! Until then, Samurai!" Ash said as he followed his brother after saying his farewell to Samurai.

"See ya!" "Take care!" Both Misty and Yellow called together before they followed the Ketchum brothers, leaving the Bug-Catcher trainer to watch his new four friends leave and go out of his sight.

"Farewell..." was the only word Samurai had said before the four trainers were soon out of his sight.

 **To Isamu and the others...**

The older brother took the lead with his little brother and Pikachu near him. Isamu took a glance back at Ash, who seemed to be proud and happy for his Pokémon's growing and evolution, causing the older brother to smile as well.

What he and the others didn't know, was that there were going to be new friends to join them in their journey... a journey that won't be just fun and games for them, as they were going to have to expect new rivals, friends, Pokémon, and enemies they might face along the way.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

 **Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

 **Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

 **Chapter 12:** **The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

 **Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Ash: We finally made it! To Pewter City! I can't wait to become a Pokémon Master someday!

Flint: You really believe you can defeat Brock with an attitude like that? What a laugh.

Misty: You two really believe you can win the tournament by gathering eight Gym Badges?

Isamu: You think we can't? That's one of the Pokémon Trainer's trials and tests, isn't it?

Yellow: A Pokémon League, huh... That sounds kind of hard, to be honest.

Brock: Who goes enter my Gym!? Shall we begin the test of your strength, then?!

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Ash's Metapod evolves into a Butterfree


	9. Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!

**Chapter 9: Pewter City Gym! Ash VS Brock!**

The forest was soon out of the way as Isamu, Ash, Yellow, and Misty all walked to see themselves walking in a rocky area as Ash was the first to spot something up ahead! He ran over, seeing what it was.

 **Ash (excited)** \- Oh! Ha ha! Wow!

The younger brother noticed that up ahead was a city, presumably Pewter City just as Samurai had told them yesterday. Isamu and the girls smiled as they noticed the large city up ahead as well.

 **Misty (happy)** \- Yay! Pewter City!

 **Ash (relieved)** \- Whew... For a while there, I thought I was gonna be in this forest for the rest of my life!

 **Isamu (amused)** \- You're not the only one who thought that Ash... We all thought the same thing.

The elder Ketchum brother walked up to his little brother, who sat down on a smooth, giant rock as Yellow smiled, seeing how their destination was near.

 **Yellow (happy)** \- It's a good thing our thoughts were wrong... I never would've imagined on what would've happened if we were lost in that forest...

 **Chuchu** \- Chu... (nods in agreement)

 **Strange Man** \- Pewter City is gray... The color of stone... This town has always been famous for stone...

The group spots a man below them, who was bearded and was wearing a red hat. He seemed to be serious about the city the group has been talking about as Ash blinked to see the man below him.

 **Ash (confused)** \- Huh? What the... Who's this old guy?

 **Misty (unsure)** \- Never met him!

 **Yellow (unsure)** \- Ditto for me, too...

 **Isamu (suspicious)** \- Must be a person from Pewter City who's fond of rocks and stones...

 **Strange Man (amused)** \- You have good eye, kid... The name's **Flint**... And you're sitting on some of my merchandise, young man.

Ash and Isamu blinks together, until the little brother realizes that the man known as Flint meant the rock he was sitting on as he scrambles up to his feet, apologizing to the man at the same time.

 **Ash (surprised, then bewildered)** \- Huh? Oh! I'm sorry... Huh? Uh... You mean, you sell rocks?

 **Flint** \- They're Pewter City souvenirs... Want to buy some?

 **Ash (determined)** \- No thanks! I'm traveling to become a Pokémon Trainer!

 **Pikachu (exhausted)** \- Chaa...

 **Flint (unfazed)** \- Well, your Pokémon surely looks worn out... Why don't you follow me? I'll show you all to the Pokémon Center.

Flint walks off, leaving the two boys and girls unsure of what to say of this man. That was when Isamu spotted something on one of the rocks as he picks it up, seeing this rock to be quite shiny for some reason.

 **Isamu (suspicious)** \- Um, excuse me? Would it be alright if I take this? How much would this be?

The others watched the older brother in surprise as Flint glances at Isamu and the stone he was holding as he smirks in amusement to see the elder brother interested in the stone.

 **Flint (amused)** \- I'll let you take that one for free... Considering that you were the one that spotted it first before everyone else that passed by here...

He continues to walk off, as Ash sweat drops at his brother buying a rock that seemed worthless to his eyes.

 **Ash (bewildered)** \- Um... You sure you want to take that, bro? Why are you so interested in that thing in the first place?

 **Isamu (smiling)** \- Don't know... It just felt out of the ordinary to me, that's all.

 **Eevee (curious)** \- Vee...?

 **Flint (sternly)** \- By the way... that'll be a two dollar charge for resting on my rocks.

Ash and Misty falls over in disbelief while Yellow and Isamu only sweat drops at the fee Flint demands from the younger Ketchum brother.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The four run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

Soon, as Flint had promised, he led the four trainers to the Pokémon Center, where Isamu, Ash, and Yellow handed in their Pokémon to help them regain their energy from the travels they had to deal with.

 **Ash (pleading)** \- Please, revitalize our Pokémon!

 **Isamu** \- They need some checkup after all the traveling we did in Viridian Forest.

 **Yellow (hopeful)** \- We're all counting on you, Nurse Joy...

 **Nurse Joy (understanding)** \- Sure! Right away, you three!

She takes the three trays holding Ash's three Pokémon, Isamu's three Pokémon, and Yellow's Chuchu. But at the sight of seeing Nurse Joy right in front of them, both Ash and Isamu blinked in confusion to see the Nurse right in front of them!

 **Ash (confused)** \- Huh? Nurse Joy?

 **Nurse Joy** \- Yes. I'm Nurse Joy.

 **Isamu (suspicious)** \- Now that's weird... You look just the same as the Nurse Joy we've met back at the Viridian City Pokémon Center...

 **Nurse Joy (chuckling)** \- That, I can understand... The Joy in Viridian City is my little sister! I'm the older Joy! I've heard nice things about the two of you brothers! How very nice!

 **Yellow (confused)** \- ?

 **Ash (unsure)** \- Uh... Thank you...

 **Nurse Joy** \- Have you two seen that poster?

As she asked while walking off with the three trays with the help of Chansey, Ash, Isamu, and Yellow all turned to see Misty staring at an attention-catching poster as the name of it made Ash excited and determined to accomplish his dreams even more.

 **Ash (determined)** \- Pokémon League Regional Championships! Alright!

 **Misty (mocking)** \- Ha!

 **Isamu (suspicious)** \- What's with the funny face expression?

 **Misty (amused)** \- To compete in the Regional Championships... You need to beat Gym Trainers from different towns and get their badges as proof! Can you two do that?

 **Yellow (unsure)** \- It sounds kind of hard when you say it that way...

 **Ash (annoyed)** \- Of course we can!

 **Flint (amused)** \- Ha ha ha... Don't tell me you're planning on challenging Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader?

 **Isamu (confused)** \- Say if we are... What's so wrong about that? As soon as our Pokémon friends have recovered, we'll prepare and head straight for the Gym there. You should know where it is since this is your hometown, right?

 **Flint (amused)** \- Ha ha... Nothing's wrong with that, except... Ha ha ha... It's just amusing to see the two of you try. And yes... You must be that quick to catch on, kid.

Flint leaves, leaving Isamu to glare at his back silently while leaving the younger brother to be streamed with the strange man as this feeling carried on while he, Isamu, Misty, and Yellow relaxed with some lunch.

 **Ash (irritated)** \- Ooh... That Flint is trying to make a fool out of me!

 **Misty (annoyed)** \- You really think you can win? Gym Leaders are different from your everyday Pokémon Trainers! They're much, much tougher!

 **Isamu (unfazed)** \- You can't say that to us when you haven't experienced a Gym battle too, Misty. Or, are you saying that because you battled Brock and some other Gym Leaders before?

 **Misty (surprised)** \- Huh? Oh, um... Well... I...

 **Isamu (serious)** \- I didn't think so... Well, for your information, we'd like to try and see what a real Gym battle is like. So, if you'd kindly stop bugging us, we would be happy to show you proof that we can achieve our dreams by defeating Brock as the first step to our goal.

 **Misty (disbelief)** \- What did you say!?

 **Yellow (desperate)** \- Come on, you guys... Stop! Arguing over this isn't going to make anyone feel better...

 **Isamu / Misty** \- Hmph...

Turning to the two boys, she had her face soften before she made a small suggestion to the two boys.

 **Misty** \- I'll tell you what, boys... If the two of you ask me really nicely, I can help the two of you out!

 **Ash (annoyed)** \- Mmph! I don't need any help!

 **Misty (annoyed)** \- Wha!? Is that so!? Fine with me! There's no way that the two of you will beat Brock at the Pewter City Gym! Humph!

The Orange-haired girl walks off, leaving Isamu to watch her leave silently, while Ash remained annoyed with the girl. Yellow, on the other hand grew worried for what Misty might get into herself to.

 **Yellow (worried)** \- Misty, wait! Where are you going!?

Yellow runs after her friend as Isamu watches her leave until Ash yells at the two to return.

 **Ash** \- Hm!? Hey! You two can't leave us both with the bill! Get back here!

 **Isamu (unimpressed)** \- Leave them be, Ash... We should leave them alone for a while... I'll pay for our meal if it make you happy.

The older brother takes out some money and places it on the check before a ringing call calls for the Ketchum brothers and Yellow.

 **Nurse Joy (voice)** \- Ash, Yellow, and Isamu? Your Pokémon have all made a full recovery!

 **Isamu** \- Just at the right time...

With their meals all eaten and finished, the Ketchum brothers head for the front desk to meet up with Yellow again, who silently took back Chuchu with her before she ran out to catch up to Misty again, leaving Isamu to feel worried for her as he sighed.

 **Nurse Joy** \- Here you go, boys! No more waiting! Pikachu and Eevee and the rest of your Pokémon are all back to normal!

 **Ash (relieved)** \- Oh! Alright!

 **Pikachu / Eevee (happy)** \- Pikachu! / Eevee!

The two starters jump onto their trainers' shoulders as the brothers welcomed them back for their fully recovery. Once their team were fully healed, they head for the Gym with Ash's insistence as they arrive at the front of it.

The Gym seemed to be like a stony building as it showed the name of the Gym on the stone. Taking a look around, the older brother folded his arms, feeling serious with how the battle might go for them should they partake in it.

 **Isamu (stern)** \- Huh... Looks like this is the real deal... And with the way the outside is set up... I think the Leader in here will be quite serious in a Pokémon match.

 **Ash (determined)** \- I don't think it'll really matter, as so long as we win! Right, bro?

 **Isamu (unsure)** \- I guess... But like I said, we should've planned for it earlier, like train to prepare for the tough battle!

 **Ash (determined)** \- I'm sure we'll be fine! We've faced some tough battles while getting here, right? Like when we went against Team Rocket and Samurai in the Viridian Forest!

 **Isamu (more unsure)** \- Those are the only battles we've participated in... Oh, never mind... Let's just go in.

With the agreement finally settled, the Ketchum brothers opened the doors and head inside the Gym to see what they would face inside. Inside was dark, with no lights on around. The two boys walked around cautiously as they were ready to battle.

 **Ash (loud)** \- Helloooo!?

There was silence for a moment until a light shone on a person that sat at the end of the Gym!

 **Unknown Boy (stern)** \- Who goes there!?

This catches the Ketchum brothers by surprise as they turned to see a boy who seemed to be older than the two. The boy looked quite serious as he sat with his legs crossed together.

 **Ash (surprised)** \- Huh!? Uh... So, you must be Brock! I'm Ash, from Pallet Town! I challenge you!

 **Brock (stern)** \- And you over there?

 **Isamu (serious)** \- I'm Isamu, another's trainer from Pallet Town, and the older brother of Ash here. I'm also here to challenge you to our first Gym battle here.

 **Brock (stern)** \- I see... So, you two are saying this is your first Gym match?

 **Ash (unsure)** \- Huh? Uh...

 **Brock (stern)** \- A Gym match is different from other battles... This match is for Pokémon League authorization. There are special rules.

 **Isamu (serious)** \- Special rules? Explain it to us more clearly, with details.

 **Brock (stern)** \- Hmph. As you wish. We will use two Pokémon each. That clear enough for you? Which one of you will be challenging me first?

 **Ash (determined)** \- Th-That's me! I'm the one challenging you first!

Taking a closer look at the younger brother, Brock frowned at the Electric Type Pokémon that was next to his young trainer. He frowned, raising a question to Ash.

 **Brock (stern)** \- How long have you been with that Pokémon?

 **Ash (nervous)** \- Um... About two weeks, I guess?

 **Brock (blunt)** \- Yes... Your Pikachu is in its cutest stage... It can't win.

 **Pikachu (surprised)** \- Pikachu!?

 **Isamu (serious)** \- Looks can be quite deceiving when they're in a Pokémon battle. Don't underestimate my brother and his Pikachu's teamwork, when there's a slight chance they can beat you good, Brock.

This caught the Pewter Gym Leader's attention as he gave a small glare at his second challenger, before noticing the Eevee at his shoulder. He gave the same question to the older brother, feeling more serious to say his words blunt as usual.

 **Brock (stern)** \- And what about you? How long have you been with that Eevee?

 **Isamu (serious)** \- Two years... We first had Eevee as a house pet in our home until I chose her to be my partner for our journey.

 **Eevee (angry)** \- Eevee Vee!

As Eevee hisses at Brock, the Gym Leader tensed a little before Ash interrupted their conversation, as he felt impatient to get his very first Gym battle underway.

 **Ash (annoyed)** \- Hey! We'll about our own Pokémon and you worry about yours, got it!?

 **Brock (stern)** \- Hmph. Suit yourself. As Gym Leader, I have to accept every challenge... So, let's just get this over with.

The Gym Leader snaps his fingers, causing the lights of the Gym to flicker on! Both brothers looked up until the side doors of the Gym opened! The Ketchum brothers widened their eyes to see rocks coming out of the side as Isamu realized that the rocks were meant for the battlefield!

He quickly dragged Ash off, much to the little brother's surprise as the boys and their two starters ran to safety, as they all ran to the challenger box, where Ash would be battling the Rock Type Gym Leader first!

The little brother sweat dropped as he was little freaked out by the sudden appearance of the rock field as Brock jumped to the Gym Leader box, taking out a Pokéball for battle!

 **Brock (stern)** \- Hah! Let the match begin!

At the start of his brother's Gym Battle, Isamu took a few steps back with Eevee on his left shoulder again. For the little brother, the excitement of having the chance to battle shook him as he turned to Pikachu as his very first choice!

 **Ash (determined)** \- Alright! Okay, Pikachu! I choose you, buddy!

 **Pikachu (understanding)** \- Pika!

 **Brock (serious)** \- Onix, GO!

The Pewter City Gym Leader throws his first Pokéball into battle to send out his ace from the very start! As the ball opened with Pikachu running to the battlefield, the ball showed a giant rock snake Pokémon out!

It roared, glaring at his tiny Electric Type opponent, who was immediately scared and shaken up by the Onix's appearance!

 **Brock: Onix + 1 VS Ash: Pikachu + 1**

 **Isamu (surprised)** \- Onix...? It's... huge.

 **Eevee (shocked)** \- Vee!? Eevee...

The older Ketchum brother takes out his Pokédex to scan Onix as Dexter explained the data of the Rock Snake Pokémon.

 **Isamu's Pokédex** \- Onix, the Rock Snake Pokémon. Onix burrows at high speed underground in search of food. The tunnel it leaves can be used as homes by Diglett.

 **Isamu (bewildered)** \- Sending his ace out already... why am I not surprised?

 **Eevee (unsure)** \- Vee...

But at the sight of Onix towering over him, Pikachu grew too scared and ran off as he ran for Ash! The surprised younger brother yelped in surprise as Pikachu climbed up to his waist and pressed on a Pokéball button, wanting to let someone else take his place instead!

 **Ash (annoyed)** \- Hey! This is your battle, Pikachu! Not Pidgeotto's! Go!

The younger brother pushes Pikachu away back to the battlefield, causing the older Ketchum brother to frown on seeing Ash forcing Pikachu into battle, despite the fact of seeing and knowing that his Electric Type didn't want to fight someone as big as Onix.

But putting up the courage to face the Rock Snake Pokémon, Pikachu got ready to face the giant Rock Type, as it roared to him, as it got ready for a quick battle.

 **Brock** \- Onix, Tackle attack!

At the order, the Rock Snake Pokémon roared as it dove for the Electric Type Pokémon, who shrieked before he ran out of the way, causing the Tackle attack to miss! Eevee winced, believing it could've hurt should the attack had landed.

Pikachu kept running to escape Onix's attacks, only for the Rock Snake Pokémon to grab Pikachu with its hard, rocky coils! Both Ash and Isamu gasped to see the Electric Type struggling with Onix squeezing it tight as Brock made the order for Onix to go on with the binding assault.

 **Brock** \- Onix! Bind it now!

At the call, the suffocating Bind Attack became harder as it became too difficult for Pikachu to breathe as Ash desperately tried to counterattack!

 **Ash (desperate)** \- Pikachu, Thundershock!

Hearing Ash, the Mouse Pokémon tried to shock Onix with some of his electricity, only for his attempts to be futile as his small and weak attacks weren't doing a thing to the Rock Snake Pokémon!

 **Isamu** \- Onix is a Rock and Ground Type... An Electric Type attack coming from Pikachu won't do a single damage to that big guy...

 **Eevee (worried)** \- Vee Eevee...

 **Brock (unimpressed)** \- You haven't raised it very well. Such a weak Electric attack can't hurt Onix!

Knowing that the Gym Leader was right, the younger brother tried to bring Pikachu back to his Pokéball, though the Electric Type might not like it this way.

 **Ash (desperate)** \- Pikachu, return!

At attempting to return Pikachu, the red beams were being blocked by Onix's huge rock body, preventing the Pokéball from getting Pikachu back inside!

 **Ash (worried)** \- It's being blocked... I can't bring it back...

 **Isamu (worried)** -Ash...

As little time passed by, Ash could do nothing but to watch Onix strangle Pikachu's life out! At seeing Pikachu looking like he was taking his last breath, the younger brother yelled out his forfeit, admitting his early defeat in the match.

 **Ash (frustrated)** \- Argh... CUT IT OUT!

 **Isamu (unfazed)** \- Hm...

 **Eevee (worried)** \- Eevee...

 **Brock** \- Do you surrender?

 **Ash (despaired)** \- I... I do...

The bell made a clang, resulting in Ash's loss due to the forfeit he had declared, ending the Gym match.

 **Winner: Brock**

With the loss Ash had, he carried Pikachu in his arms and headed out, as Isamu and Eevee followed, until Brock gave the two a reminder of their Gym match right now.

 **Brock (stern)** \- Do you still want to battle now?

Turning to face the Rock Type Gym Leader, the older Ketchum brother glared at the Leader before he made his decision.

 **Isamu (serious)** \- I'd like to put my battle on hold for tonight. Right now, I need to be with my brother, if it's possible.

 **Brock (understanding)** \- Very well... Tonight it is.

Nodding curtly back to the Rock Type Gym Leader, the older brother ran after his older brother with Eevee on his left shoulder. Little did he know was that someone was keeping an eye on him. This person watched Ash's forfeit in his first Gym battle.

Revealing herself to be a girl, she was disappointed with the easy win the boy gave to her older brother. But when the older brother of the Ash who just lost decided to pass up the battle to be with his little brother, this made her very curious with Isamu.

 **Unknown girl (amazed)** \- This is intriguing. Maybe this guy might be able to beat big brother Brock...

Outside of the Gym, Ash walked out with Pikachu in his arms as Isamu stayed by his brother's side.

 **Ash (disappointed)** \- I'm... stumped, bro... I couldn't do anything back there... Why wasn't I able to do anything back there?

 **Isamu (unsure)** \- Well... You already had the Type and field disadvantage against Brock and his Onix even at the start of the match. Since Onix was both Rock and Ground Type, Pikachu's Electric Type moves couldn't do a thing since Elecrric Type moves are very ineffective against Ground Type Pokémon.

 **Ash (disbelief)** \- You mean to say, even if we weren't in that tight situation, then...

 **Isamu (serious)** \- Yeah... You still would've lost. I don't think even Pidgeotto or Butterfree could've stand a chance against Brock's Rock Types, since they have the field and Type advantage over your Bug and Flying Types.

 **Ash (disbelief)** \- No way...

 **Eevee (worried)** \- Eevee...

As the two brothers silently walked on, they turned their heads up to see Flint standing right in front of them! Ash blinked in surprise, while Isamu silently glared back, confused on why the strange man was there in front of him and Ash.

His questions were soon answered as Flint started to move away, while urging the two brothers to come with him

 **Flint** \- Follow me, you two.

 **Ash (confused)** \- Uh... Huh?

 **Isamu (stern)** \- Let's follow him and see what he wants to know.

 **Ash (unsure)** \- Okay...

The two Ketchum brothers followed Flint to a small cabin where Flint made Pikachu a small bed for the Electric Type to recover as he made some tea for himself and the two brothers. Noticing that Eevee seem quite well, the strange man turned to Isamu with a small question.

 **Flint (curious)** \- Your Eevee seems alright. Did you two beat Brock?

 **Isamu (stern)** \- No... We decided to hold our battle for tonight. Thought Ash would need some comforting for what just happened back at the Pewter Gym.

 **Flint (understanding)** \- I see...

Turning to Ash to see him down, Flint set the tray with tea down on the floor, reminding him that this can happen to anyone that struggles in their Pokémon journey, especially in Gym battles or ordinary Pokémon battles.

 **Flint** \- Everyone loses sometimes. You can't let that get you down.

 **Ash (upset)** \- I know... But I didn't just lose... I stunk!

 **Isamu (surprised)** \- Ash...?

 **Eevee (surprised)** \- Vee?

 **Ash (upset)** \- Brock's way better than me... I could never enter a League Match if I can't beat him.

Sipping his tea, Flint gave a reminder to the Ketchum brothers about Brock's talent of being the Pewter City Gym Leader.

 **Flint** \- Brock's pretty good. His own talent could take him much further than being simply the local Gym Leader.

 **Isamu (serious)** \- If he's that good as you say... Then why doesn't he suspend his time as a Gym Leader for a while and use that time to train and participate in a Regional League?

 **Flint** \- He has his reasons.

 **Isamu / Ash (confused)** \- Huh?

At the confused looks on the Ketchum brothers' face, Flint led the boys outside with Pikachu and Eevee still in the cabin, allowing the female Evolution Pokémon to look after the Electric Type, who was recovering.

The strange man led the brothers to the Gym again, but this time... to a house that was right behind the Gym! The three all snuck up to the back porch and hid behind the bushes to see kids playing around in the house living room!

There were about ten young kids with a familiar person at the back washing dishes with housewife clothes on! One of young girls of the family ran to the man, showing her ripped skirt to the man.

 **Young Girl (upset)** \- I tore my skirt!

As the Ketchum brothers looked closely, the man who was washing the dishes revealed his face! It was Brock, the stern and rocky Gym Leader Ash had faced a few hours ago!

 **Brock (sighing)** \- Alright, alright, I'll sew it up for you.

 **Ash (shocked)** \- Huh!?

 **Young Girl (impatient)** \- Is it done yet?

 **Brock (careful)** \- Just a minute...

At seeing Brock like this with the kids, Isamu shook his head in disbelief before he glanced at Flint for an answer.

 **Isamu (surprised)** \- That's... the rocky and cold Gym Leader, Brock?

Flint gave a small nod and led the boys out of the house's sight as the three walked in the city, with the sky soon becoming night as little time passed when they watched the house.

 **Ash (bewildered)** \- Wow... I sure never thought of Brock like that...

 **Isamu (unsure)** \- This is a surprise for me, too... Didn't expect to see a cold battler to be so soft and caring to those kids...

 **Flint** \- Brock has ten little brothers and sisters to take care of, so he could never leave town for Regional Championships.

 **Ash (confused)** \- Doesn't he have a Mom or a Dad?

 **Flint (serious)** \- His good-for-both father left the family to become a Pokémon Trainer. And they never heard from him again...

 **Isamu (serious)** \- What about the mother, then?

 **Flint** \- Brock's heartbroken mother tried her best to hold things together, but she left too, in order to find a way to take care of her children in a more easier way, such as working in jobs or to make a new career... Because of that, Brock's the only one his little brother's and sisters have left.

 **Isamu (understanding)** \- I see...

 **Flint** \- Not only that, he also has an adoptive little sister to take care, making it eleven younger siblings in the family.

 **Isamu (curious)** \- Adoptive sister?

 **Flint** \- Right... Brock found her in a forest when she was all cut and bruised up... Probably because of a no good parent abusing her. Brock took her in as an adoptive sister to care for her. She was one of the siblings Brock could rely on for taking care of the younger brothers and sisters when he was in a middle of a Gym match.

 **Isamu (curious)** \- Her name...?

 **Flint (suspicious)** \- Her name... is Luna. Why all the questions all of a sudden, kid?

 **Isamu (serious)** \- Its nothing... I thought I felt someone staring at me right after I followed Ash out of the Pewter Gym. I think... that girl must've been that same Luna you were talking about.

 **Flint (surprised)** \- I see... Luna was always the type of girl that was interested in the trainers challenging Brock to a battle when she wasn't busy with her younger siblings. When she sees someone she takes interest into... she makes a decision that even I don't know about...

 **Isamu (understanding)** \- Huh...

 **Ash** \- Well, I better not listen to any more sad stuff... Next time I have a match with Brock, I might not have the heart to beat him!

 **Flint (surprised)** \- But... But you said that... You said you could never win a match with Brock!

 **Ash (determined)** \- Yeah, well... I changed my mind about that! If I could power up Pikachu even with the Type disadvantage, I'll beat him!

 **Isamu (amused)** \- You're going to challenge him to a rematch and show him how strong your determination is than his, right?

 **Ash (determined)** \- Right!

 **Flint (amused)** \- Hm... I may just know a way you can super-charge Pikachu.

 **Ash (curious)** \- Huh!? You do!?

 **Isamu (confused)** \- And what would that be?

 **Flint** \- That's for me and Ash to know. As for you, kid... I believe you have a Gym match to go to, since you agreed to battle Brock at the night?

 **Isamu (surprised)** \- Huh? Yes, but...

The older brother turned to his little brother, who only grinned back at him.

 **Ash (assuring)** \- Go ahead, bro! You need to prove to Brock that you're strong too, right? Pikachu and I'll be just fine! So show him how strong you and Eevee are together!

Att he response, the older brother blinked in surprise before he nodded with a small smile on his face.

 **Isamu (understanding)** \- Alright... Take care with your power boost training, Ash.

 **Ash (understanding)** \- I will, bro.

With that settled, the older brother parted with his little brother and Flint to get Eevee back from Flint's small cabin and to head of the Pewter Gym, where Brock would be waiting for him as he had promised.

 **Isamu (thinking)** \- Brock will be sure to see what kind of bond and strength me and my Pokémon have... I'll be sure to show him the consequences for underestimating me and Ash's strength.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

 **Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

 **Chapter 12: The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

 **Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

 **Chapter 14: A Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Ash: Brock is just too strong... There has got to be a way to charge Pikachu's power up to the maximum!

Flint: I may have just the idea to handle that part. I need you to come with me, though.

Luna: Are you another challenger for Brock? You're that kid's older brother, right?

Isamu: Yeah... And I don't intend on losing to a hard-headed guy like him.

Brock: Another challenger, huh? You will also fall just like your little brother did with me!

Isamu: I won't let you insult my little brother any further! Getting ready for a really difficult battle, Brock!

 **Events that occurred:**

\- The group arrives in Pewter City and meets Flint

\- Ash and Isamu plans to enter the Indigo League to compete and win

\- Ash and Isamu meets Brock and challenges him to a battle

\- Ash battles Brock, but forfeits


	10. Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!

**Chapter 10: Isamu VS Brock! Brock's Wish!**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", Isamu, Ash, Misty, and Yellow had all arrived at Pewter City, which was where they met a strange man named Flint. The strange man offered to take them to the Pokémon Center after Isamu discovers a stone that isn't one of the rocks the man was selling.

As the group gets to the Center to have their Pokémon checked up, Nurse Joy points out a poster about a Pokémon League happening in this year. To enter, trainers would have to gather 8 Kanto Gym Badges in order to compete in the tournament.

This would mean the two brothers would need to defeat the Pewter Gym Leader named Brock, who Flint believes is too strong for the brothers to beat. While Misty doesn't believe the two will go well against Brock, Yellow is reluctant to see the two battle after hearing of what Flint said.

Nonetheless, the Ketchum brothers visited the Gym, with Ash taking the challenge first, before he quickly forfeited, after seeing Brock's Onix squeeze the life out of Pikachu. When Flint explains Brock's reasons for not being able to compete in the Pokémon League Tournament, Ash makes a decision to challenge Brock again.

Then, remembering his promise to battle Brock at a later time, Isamu quickly heads for the Pewter Gym to have his appointed Gym battle against the Pewter Gym Leader with Eevee at his side!

* * *

The older Ketchum brother stood at the entrance of the Pewter Gym as he gave a deep breath before he prepared to head in. Sensing how uncomfortable he felt, Eevee nuzzled his cheek while on his left shoulder, giving her trainer a comforting smile.

Isamu smiled back as he rubbed Eevee's furry head back with thanks. "Thanks, Eevee. Now I feel ready." Isamu said, earning a smile from the Evolution Pokémon. "Vee!" Eevee said until a voice came to the scene. "Are you and your Pokémon close?" A girl cried out.

Ismu blinked in surprise before he looked around to see where the voice was coming from. As the older brother looked around, he noticed a figure in the dark as he glared at the figure, calling for the person to reveal himself. "Who's there?" Isamu said cautiously as the figure stepped out into the light!

To the elder brother's surprise, it was a girl! She looked like a girl around his age as she was nearly the same height as him, only a bit shorter. She had white skin with bright, blue eyes. She had a long, brown hair in a ponytail, that stopped mid-back with the bangs that stops at her cheeks.

She wore a white shirt with an orange hoodie. She had light, blue jeans on that stops mid-leg, along with black-white sneakers. She also wore a necklace with the symbol of a Pokémon around her neck. The girl had circle glasses as well as she adjusted them while walking to the elder brother.

"And you are...?" Isamu asked with his cautious look remaining. "You don't need to be so cautious. My name is Luna, one of Brock's younger siblings." Luna said with a small smile on her face. Widening his eyes at the mentioning of her name, the elder brother frowned.

"Luna? As in... the girl that Brock found when she was found beaten up and abused?" Isamu asked, causing Luna to frown at the description of herself. "How do you know that?" Luna asked as Isamu bit his lips, before he made a lie.

"I've heard about you from some townspeople that took pity in you, that's all." Isamu said, as the girl sighed in annoyance. "Those people... It's been two years ever since I've been found, and I'm still being pitied...? I can't believe it..." Luna said with a sigh.

Isamu watched her shake her head before she got her smile on her face. "As I was saying before... are you and Eevee that close together?" Luna asked as the elder brother blinked, before he nodded in affirmation. "Yeah... Eevee and I have been close for the past two years." Isamu said.

"Eevee!" Eevee cried out, causing Luna to smile again as her face softened before the smile went away.

"I see... You're lucky you have a good friend with you... Unlike me..." Luna said, as her voice started to crack up a little, causing the elder brother to frown. "Is... something wrong?" Isamu asked, causing Luna to shake her head and say her denial.

"N-No... You two just reminded me of something, that's all." Luna said as she wiped her glasses clean. Before she did so, the older Ketchum brother had noticed a small tear coming out of her right eye when her voice had cracked. But with the way she responded, she was trying to hide it.

"Anyways... You're challenging my brother, right? I saw your little brother battle. You know, the boy with the Pikachu? He didn't seem quite prepared to handle Onix." Luna said as the elder brother frowned at her comment about Ash and Pikachu.

"Neither of us expected your brother to be that cold and strong. Anyone can make a mistake when they face the unexpected, right?" Isamu asked, causing the young girl to smile in response before she nodded in agreement. "I can see your point." Luna said before she looked at the Gym doors.

"Brock is going to be tough to handle... I've seen every Gym battle of his when he fought against challengers... Beleuve me when I say this, but... even though Brock seem cold to everyone around him... He's actually a good guy in heart." Luna said with a convincing look on her face, earning a nod from the older brother.

"I know... I've heard from Flint." Isamu said silently, earning a confused look from the young girl.

"Who?" Luna asked, causing Isamu to quickly change the subject. "N-Nothing... Anyways, if you have nothing else to do, then can I go in? I've appointed my Gym battle to occur tonight, as in right now." Isamu said, earning a nod from the young girl.

"Knock yourself out. I'd like to watch, if you don't mind." Luna said, causing the elder brother to blink before he gave a reluctant nod. "That's fine..." Isamu said as he walked up to the Gym doors, before he opened them. As he opened the doors, the elder brother prepared his first trial as a Trainer.

As the doors opened, Isamu noticed Brock sitting on his seat, as if he was treating it as a throne. As the Gym Leader noticed Isamu coming in, he narrowed his closed eyes. "So you actually showed up. I thought you might've been a bit afraid, since you're late right now." Brock said coldly.

But as he said that, he noticed his adoptive sister coming up behind him as the Gym Leader perked his head up in surprise. "Wait... Luna?! What are you doing here!?" Brock said in shock as the young girl smiled sheepishly to see the surprised expression of her adoptive older brother.

"I'm here to watch you battle the challenger? Is that wrong, brother?" Luna asked teasingly, causing the Gym Leader to twitch his face a little before he shook his head, allowing his adoptive sister to watch the battle between him and the elder brother.

"It's fine... Just step back, because I'm sure this is going to be big, but short." Brock assured, causing his little sister to take a few steps back to watch from the sidelines as Isamu frowned of what the Gym Leader had said just now.

"Wait a second... What do you mean this will be big, but short? Are you inferring that I'm no match against you?" Isamu asked as Brock gave a smirk before he made his reasons for the confidence he was feeling to win the battle even before it had begun.

"Do you remember when I fought against your brother? He and his little Pikachu couldn't hold a candle when facing my Pokémon, such as Onix. And with your Eevee, I believe... Its cuteness won't win the battle for it. So, even with you being the elder brother, i beleieve the results will be the same!" Brock said cockingly.

At the overconfidence, Isamu narrowed his eyes before his tone became bitter.

"Be careful what you say, Brock... The battle hasn't even started yet, and you still believe you can win, just because you saw my brother forfeit to you. And you should know... I despise the people that insult my family, so you better brace yourself!" Isamu called as Eevee growled at him.

"Vee..." Eevee growled as she jumped off of her Trainer's shoulder, allowing Isamu to begin his first Gym battle with Brock.

"The same rules apply! Two Pokémon each!" Brock called out in reminder as he took out his first Pokéball, causing Isamu to take out his Pokéball as well!

"Let's begin!" The two said together, causing the bell to ring and signal their start of the battle. "I'll start things off with... Geodude! Go!" Brock called as he sent out a new Rock Type Pokémon to face the elder brother as Isamu took out his Pokédex to scan the end Pokémon.

 _"Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. Geodude are often found in the fields and mountains. Mistaking the most for boulders, people often step of trip on them."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed as the elder brother frowned in annoyance.

"You're saving your ace for last, huh? Then, I'll do the same! Nidoran, take the field!" Isamu called, as he called for his Poison Type to face the Rock-Ground Type! Luna watched as she gulped to see how intense the battle could get between the two as the battle began.

 **Brock: Geodude + 1 VS Isamu: Nidoran + 1**

"The first move is ours! Nidoran, use Horn Attack!" Isamu called as Nidoran charged to stab Geodude, who managed to get out of the way, causing the Horn Attack to miss! "Don't let it rest, Geodude! Use Tackle!" Brock called, as Geodude did so, slamming Nidoran into the air!

"Nidoran!?" Isamu called as Luna gasped to see the Poison Type getting hurt. "Keep the attacks going, Geodude! Use Tackle, again!" Brock called as Geodude rose up, aiming to bash Nidoran until Isamu countered back! "Regain your balance, Nidoran! And then, use Poison Sting!" Isamu cried out.

Flipping himself in the air, the Poison Type jumped onto Geodude's face, before he shot the poison needles onto the Rock Pokémon! Geodude resisted them as Brock continued the battle.

"A weak attack like that won't stop my Geodude! Seismic Toss, now!" Brock called as Geodude grabbed Nidoran before he flew into the air! The Poison Type screeched in surprise as he was being thrown down hard by his hard opponent!

"Get out of his grasp with Double Kick, Nidoran! Don't let the Seismic Toss happen!" Isamu called as Nidoran nodded, trusting his Trainer's words. Flipping in the air to make Geodude take the hit, the Poison Type kicked Geodude twice, causing the Rock Type to stop using Seismic Toss!

"Huh!?" This surprised Brock as Isamu called for the same move! "Use Double Kick again!" Isamu called as Nidoran did so, kicking the Rock Pokémon away! The force of it was enough to knock Geodude out as it became unconscious!

 **Brock: 1 Pokémon**

"He beat Brock's Geodude with ease..." Luna said in amazement while the Gym Leader remained surprised. Then, with his face returning to his unfazed expression, he recalled Geodude back to its Pokéball. "Return, Geodude!" Brock called as his defeated Rock Type was recalled.

He then took out his next Pokéball, which contained Onix inside. "You're pretty good... But it's not good enough to beat my best Pokémon! Go, Onix!" Brock called as the Rock Snake Pokémon took Geodude's place! It roared, causing Nidoran to take a step back.

The Poison Type hissed back in warning, until Isamu took out his Pokéball to call back his second caught teammate. "Nidoran, return! You took some damage from battling Geodude, so I don't want to risk you losing in there." Isamu called as he returned his understanding Poison Type back.

Brock watched as the elder brother turned to Eevee, who was already determined to win for her Trainer. "Ready to win this for us, Eevee?" Isamu asked. "Eevee! Vee!" Eevee cried out affirmatively as she ran to the battlefield to face Onix, as Brock narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

Even Luna was confused as she knew the flaw of sending Eevee out. "But why send Eevee out? A Normal Type Pokémon is no match against a Rock Type like Onix. Plus... This is Brock's best Pokémon. So even if he manages to deal some damage, it's going to take a while to take Onix out..." Luna said silently.

"I don't know what you're thinking by sending your partner out, but I know it won't do you any good! Onix, use Tackle!" Brock called, causing Onix to roar and lung towards Eevee! "Dodge, with Quick Attack!" Isamu yelled out, as Eevee did so, using her quick speed to evade Tackle!

But that was what Brock wanted as he gave a small smirk. "Now's your chance! Use Bind, Onix!" Brock cried out, allowing the Rock Snake Pokémon to wrap its rocky coils around Eevee, who shrieked in surprise! Then, as soon as the Evolution Pokémon was binded, Onix began to squeeze her!

Eevee squealed in pain as she struggled to get free, only for the Bind from Onix to be even stronger! Isamu widened his eyes as he remembered this situation. _"This is... the same time when Onix had trapped Pikachu when Ash was fighting against him...!"_ Isamu thought as Brock frowned.

"Your Eevee is trapped, just like with your brother's little Pikachu. Do you plan on surrendering just like he did?" Brock asked, believing his victory to be inevitable as Isamu remained calm. He closed his eyes before he showed his serious expression.

"No... To Eevee and me, losing is NOT an option, even when we're caught in a corner like this!" Isamu snapped as Eevee cried out in agreement. "Eve!" Eevee grunted as Brock was surprised at the response, with Luna reacting the same way.

"Even with your answer, it still won't change a thing! Onix, keep up the pressure!" Brock called as Onix did so, attempting to squeeze Eevee more! Luna could only watch in horror as her adoptive brother's partner was about to crush the sweet-looking Pokémon, until Isamu countered.

"Get out of your Bind with Bite!" Isamu called as Eevee did so! Before the squeeze could be even tighter, Eevee used the Dark Type to chomp on Onix's tough body, enough to make the Rock Type flinch and release the Evolution Pokémon!

Both Brock and Luna were surprised to see the sudden comeback as Isamu called for another attack. "And now, use Sand-Attack!" Isamu called as Eevee did so, running up to Onix before she kicked sand at the Rock Snake Pokémon multiple times! It was enough to create a huge cloud of dust!

Onix roared in anger and pain as Brock tried to calm his partner. "Onix, stay calm! It's only some sand that's taking your sight! Don't let Eevee stay loose!" Brock cried out as Isamu called for another attack.

"Charge towards Onix with Quick Attack, Eevee!" Isamu shouted out, as the Evolution Pokémon charged at the Rock Snake Pokémon to make a close range attack! "Don't let it get any closer, Onix! Tackle, go!" Brock cried out as Onix tried to do so, only for his attack to fail!

Due to the effect of Sand-Attack, it was hard for Onix to see properly and land his attacks! For that, it was easy for the Normal Type to dodge the incoming attacks and get even closer! "And now, use Bite!" Isamu cried as Eevee bit Onix once again, causing it to roar in pain again.

The Rock Type Gym Leader gritted his teeth in frustration, seeing that his partner taking the damage instead of the challenger's partner! But the attacks wasn't done yet as Isamu continued on. "Use Tackle, Eevee!" Isamu cried as Eevee managed to bash Onix away!

The collision to a rock, however, made Eevee wince a little as her head was a bit soft while the body of her opponent was tough as she jumped back to prevent herself from taking any more recoil damage. Onix on the other hand, shook his head to take the rest of the sand off of his eyes, before he faced Eevee again.

The two trainers made eye contact with each other, before they called their partners to make their last attack.

"Tackle!"

"Bite!"

Both Onix and Eevee lunged towards each other as Luna watched to see who would be the victor, while the other would be the loser. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the two attacks started to reach other, until it went so fast!

Luna blinked, as she noticed the two Pokémon passing each other, with their attacks done and dealt with. Both Isamu and Brock remained silent as they were patient to see who had won. At first, Eevee started to lose her balance a little, causing Brock to smile until Onix started to shake, too!

Isamu gave a smirk, stating his win. "This match... belongs to us, Brock! To Eevee and me!" Isamu called, catching the Gym Leader by surprise! His surprise occurred again as he watched Onix slowly fall to the ground in defeat, while Eevee glanced back at her defeated opponent!

"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon cried out as the bell gave a clang, signaling that the battle was over. The Gym Leader bit his lips until he knew what this meant. "It's over... I lost..." Brock said silently.

 **Winner: Isamu**

Luna took a deep breath, before she exhaled them, as the tension of the Gym battle left her nervous and breathless for a while. But as she took a breath of relief, she heard whining and complaining from above! She looked up to see her younger siblings upset with what happened just now.

 _"They must've seen the results of the Gym battle just now... And they were upset, because Onix took the fall first."_ Luna thought as Eevee ran over to her Trainer, overjoyed with her victory. "You did great, Eevee. It's thanks to your skills and power that we've won!" Isamu said with a smile.

"Eevee! Eev!" Eevee said happily while wagging her long, brown ears. As the two were celebrating their victory together, Brock returned Onix back to his Pokéball as he looked at it for a while, until Luna walked over to him.

"Now, what do you think? Are your thoughts the same way as they were before the battle had begun?" Luna asked as the Rock Type Gym Leader smiled at his adoptive sister's question. "Well... It was when the battle went on, but the loss quickly changed that." Brock said with a chuckle.

He stood straight up, before he noticed his siblings' disappointed and upset looks, before he smiled sheepishly at them, feeling sorry for causing them to see his loss against his recent challenger. Then, looking back at Isamu and Eevee, he walked towards them to give Isamu his reward.

As the Gym Leader and his adoptive sister approached, the elder brother turned to see the two, as he held Eevee in his arms.

"Isamu... Thanks for giving me a great battle back there. The way you battled, and the way you trusted your Pokémon to do the right thing... I think it completely changed my opinion on how you raised your Pokémon." Brock said as Isamu listened.

Then, as Brock spoke, he took out something from his back pocket, before he held it to his victorious challenger.

"Here... This is the proof that you've beaten me here in the Pewter Gym: The Boulder Badge." Brock said as Isamu slowly took it out of his hand. "Thanks, Brock..." Isamu said slowly, with Eevee climbing onto his left shoulder again.

"This is it, Eevee! Our first trial in our journey is complete! Just a few more trials and we'll be able to enter the Pokémon League!" Isamu said, causing Eevee to cry out happily. "Vee!" Eevee said as Brock raised a question to the elder brother.

"So, I take it your planning to wait for your brother to complete his battle with me before you continue on with your journey, am I right?" Brock asked, earning a nod from Isamu. Remembering the training his little brother was getting to help Pikachu, Isamu raised his head to make a warning to Brock.

"Yes... And like what happened here, I'm pretty sure... that if Ash battles you again, the results will be very much different. After his loss against you, he became even more determined to beat you, so he could raise to the top as a Pokémon Master..." Isamu said, catching Brock by surprise.

The elder brother then turned his back against him, before he continued on.

"So... I'm just saying to you... Brace yourself when my little brother comes again... Because in any Pokémon battle, he can be unpredictable, bringing out unexpected results." Isamu said, making a promise to his recent opponent.

At the promise the elder brother was making, the Rock Type Gym Leader smirked, as if he was accepting the challenge that the elder brother was giving to him again. "I see... Well, I'll only believe it when we battle again. If he does show up, then I hope that what you said was right." Brock said with a chuckle.

The elder brother nodded back in understanding, before he headed out, as he said his farewell to the Gym Leader and his adoptive sister. As the older Ketchum brother left, Luna watched with a sad smile on her face, as she sighed.

"Both he and Eevee looked like they were in sync... Just like when..." Luna started to say, until Brock interrupted her while shaking his head. "Luna... You know that you can't bring it up when the others are around..." Brock said in reminder, as he referred to his younger brothers and sisters.

The adoptive sister of Brock blinked, before she realized what her adoptive brother meant, as she nodded in understanding. "I-I know... I'm just saying... Maybe... I could see more of that with other trainers... Just like how Isamu battled with Eevee." Luna said as Brock frowned.

He could only watch as Luna headed out of the Gym, possibly to head back to the house as he frowned. As he began to think of something that his sister might like, one of his younger siblings called out to him, complaining about his recent loss.

"Big brother! How can you and Onix lose to that guy...?" One of the younger brothers cried out with a pouty face as the other siblings followed along. The oldest of them, only sighed, before he gave a sheepish smile to his elder brother.

Brock smiled back sheepishly, as he knew he had to calm them down before things get worse in the evening.

 **Meanwhile...**

Isamu laid on his bed in his room at the Pokémon Center he had rented for Ash, Yellow, Misty, and himself. None had arrived back yet, allowing Isamu to enjoy his time to himself to gaze at his awarded Gym Badge. Eevee lied down next to him, on his left as she smiled at their new achievement.

"Our first Gym Badge... I think we only need seven more before we get to enter the Pokémon League, where our dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master are close." Isamu said silently, causing Eevee to agree with a soft cry. "Vee..." Eevee said with a smile.

She watched as her Trainer pinned the Gym Badge onto his jacket inside, so he wouldn't lose it so easily. As Isamu pinned the Badge in his jacket, he looked outside to see that the night sky was still on, with the moon shining brightly on the dark sky.

"What's taking them so long? I know Ash is still training with Pikachu, with the help from Flint. But... Misty and Yellow, what can those two be up to-" Isamu started to ask until the room door opened, causing both Isamu and Eevee to turn and see the two girls come in.

"Oh... Isamu, we didn't know you would be here..." Yellow said in surprise as she walked to her bed, with Chuchu running to it. "So? How did your battle go? Did you lose?" Misty teased as Isamu scoffed, before he revealed his new Gym Badge to the girls.

"Very funny... See for yourself." Isamu said as he revealed the Boulder Badge, catching Misty by surprise while leaving Yellow amazed. "No way! You actually won!?" Misty said in surprise as the elder brother twitched his eyes in annoyance before he folded his arms.

Eevee felt the same as she glared at the orange-haired girl as the elder brother spoke to her.

"Yes, I did. Were you actually hoping that I would lose just so you could prove your point of us not being able to succeed?" Isamu asked as Misty sweat dropped at the dangerous look the elder brother was giving her before she sighed, admitting her defeat against him.

"Yes... I kind of did... Yellow and I saw Ash training on something for Pikachu's Electric Type attacks... Your little brother over there is the kind of kid who doesn't get a thing about his limits as a Trainer." Misty said annoyingly as Isamu shook his head before he made his point to the orange-haired girl.

"He knows his limits, Misty... He just doesn't see it yet, because he didn't reach that point yet. So unless he does, I'd like you to keep those negative words to yourself. Otherwise, we're going to have another problem... the one that you caused." Isamu said in annoyance.

That seemed to have ticked the orange-haired girl off as she gave a huff before she walked to her side of the bunk bed, climbing up to hers, which was above Yellow's. Yellow sighed, seeing the two argue again, as Chuchu climbed up to her lap.

"I wonder if this is ever going to end, Chuchu..." Yellow said, causing the female Pikachu to frown with an unsure look on her face. "Chu..." Chuchu said as Isamu stood up, before he started to head out, with Eevee following him.

"Where are you going?" Yellow asked as Isamu looked back. "I'm going to see how my little brother is doing with his training right now. I gotta be at the Pewter Gym tomorrow, so that I can cheer him on in his rematch against Brock." Isamu said as he took his leave.

As soon as he left, Yellow gave a deep sigh, remembering how persistent Ash was when he tried to help Pikachu learn a new move by boosting his electrical attacks. It was when she insisted to Misty that they see the boys on how they were doing.

The little brother refused Misty's offer for support and insisted on doing things himself. And for Isamu, he had already won his battle against Brock, so there was no point in asking him. She looked out at the window, not hearing Misty's grumbling as she noticed the moon at the sky.

Chuchu followed suit, as the female Pikachu looked at the bright moon as well, following to where her Trainer was seeing. As she did so, Yellow spoke, after making a deep sigh. "So many things are changing, Chuchu... Ever since we've been traveling with the Ketchum brothers..." Yellow said silently.

"Chu..." Chuchu said with a frown as she was unsure on how to comfort Yellow in her current state.

 **Meanwhile...**

Isamu headed to the place where some people pointed out where Flint had gone to. Eevee ran besides him on his left as the elder brother noticed an abandoned mill where the stream seemed to be too shallow for it to work. As he arrived there, he widened his eyes on how the place looked.

Some of the areas in the inside of the house mill was a bit burnt. And a generator of some kind was smoking a little, as if it had been overused, causing it to overheat! The elder Ketchum brother frowned with how this looked.

"What... happened here?" Isamu asked as Eevee felt worried for both Pikachu and Ash. But, their worries were about to be cleared away as a familiar voice answered the elder brother's question.

"That brother of yours did it." Flint said, catching Isamu's attention as he turned to see the strange man that had helped his little brother earlier. "Flint...? And what do you mean, Ash did-!?" Isamu started to ask, until he soon came to a realization before he calmed his face expression.

"Did Pikachu get the boost that he needed to match against Brock's Pokémon?" Isamu asked, as he earned a small smile from the strange man. "Why don't you see your brother's Gym Battle tomorrow, just to be sure? Then, you'll see the results." Flint said as he walked off.

As the strange man was gone, the elder brother clenched his fists a little before he released them, before he made a small smile... a smile that looked like he was proud of Ash for being successful in the power boost training. Eevee noticed this and blinked, before she smiled in understanding.

 **The next day...**

"Couldn't he have just woken me up so that I can see his Gym battle?" Isamu grunted in annoyance as he ran out of the Center, with the yawning Eevee on his left shoulder! Apparently, Ash had left for the Gym Battle early in the morning so he could show Brock the results of their training.

What annoyed the elder brother, was that he was snoozing on the bed alone, as he had awaken to soon realize that everyone else had already left! Because of that, Isamu had to rush washing and changing into his outfit, before he could run after his brother.

As Isamu made it to the Pewter Gym, he saw a familiar girl waiting in front of it as he ran to see who it was. "Luna? What are you doing here?" Isamu asked as the young girl turned, before she realized that it was the same boy who had defeated her adoptive elder brother.

"I thought I saw you come here again, so I decided to see what you came for... but I soon realized that it was your younger brother with the Pikachu instead. The battle had already started, so if you want to see, feel free." Luna said as she got out of the way with a smile on her face.

Accepting her offer, the elder brother began to open up the Gym, before he turned to Luna. "Don't you want to watch, too?" Isamu asked, causing Luna to blink before she slowly shook her head. "No thanks... I have to head back to the house to get ready for something..." Luna explained.

And before Isamu could ask on what it was, the young girl had already ran off towards the back of the Gym, which was where the house was behind it. Isamu narrowed his eyes, until he felt Eevee nudging his cheek in reminder.

"Eev! Eevee!" Eevee cried out, causing Isamu to nod back in both realization and understanding. "Right... I didn't forget, girl." Isamu said as he opened the door to see Ash taking on Brock! It was his Pidgeotto fighting against Geodude, to the elder brother's surprise.

Just as he walked to the sides to watch the match like what Luna did, Geodude had finished the evolved Flying Type off, knocking Pidgeotto unconscious! "Ah... Pidgeotto, return!" Ash called, as he called back his Flying Type for some rest.

 **Ash: 1 Pokémon**

Geodude floated back to his Trainer's side, with a cocky smile on its face as Brock folded his arms, not impressed with how Ash was faring against him in their rematch. "Are you giving up again, Ash?" Brock taunted as Ash snapped back, refusing to back down like last match.

"No way! Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash called, causing the Electric Type to nod as he ran to face Geodude, causing the Rock Type Gym Leader to scoff and pity the Electric Type sarcastically.

"The Pikachu again... I feel sorry for it, being raised by such a weak Pokémon Trainer." Brock said sarcastically as Isamu glared at Brock for what the Gym Leader said. But Ash didn't seem fazed as he countered back by showing the results of their training with Flint last night!

"Pikachu's! Now's our chance to show him how weak we are!" Ash cried out, causing Pikachu to nod and send an electrifying attack to blast Geodude! A small explosion occurred, before revealing the blackened Geodude, who was soon immediately knocked out by the Electric attack!

 **Brock: 1 Pokémon**

Isamu and Eevee were both surprised on how much power the Electric Type has gained. They didn't seem to be the only ones, though as they heard some kids whispering in surprise. Misty and Yellow was with them, as the orange-haired girl was amazed with the power Pikachu gave off.

"Pikachu! Nice power..." commented Misty as Brock tensed in surprise. Taking out his Pokéball, the Gym Leader returned Geodude back for it to gain some rest. "Return, Geodude!" Brock called as the Rock Pokémon was called back.

He then remembered of what Isamu had said to him before, after their match had ended last night:

 _"Brace yourself when my little brother comes again... Because in any Pokémon battle, he can be unpredictable, bringing out unexpected results."_ Brock gave a small chuckle as he soon knew what the elder brother meant before.

The smile was soon wiped off of his face by himself as he took out his ace to end the match. "It looks like you've trained it better, but still! It's no match for Onix! GO!" Brock called as he sent out the Rock Snake Pokémon once again to face Pikachu, much to the Electric Type's shock!

As Onix towered over him, the Mouse Pokémon unleashed his boosted electricity to shock everything around him! Onix took some hits from the uncalled attack, as some of the rocks on the battlefield took the hit, too! One nearly hit Ash, causing him to yelp before he called to his partner.

"Hey, Pikachu! Watch where you're aiming, huh!?" Ash snapped, scolding his Electric Type. But that proved to be a mistake as the scolding caused Pikachu to stop shocking the things around him! Onix took that moment to use Bind on the Mouse Pokémon again!

"This is just like last time... If Onix does this again, then Ash loses!" Isamu said in surprise, as Eevee watched in worry. As the elder brother spoke, Ash finally noticed Isamu watching as he widened his eyes in surprise to see his brother watching him battle again.

That was until the match caused him to look back to see Pikachu being squeezed again, like in their first battle!

"Ah! Pikachu, give it a Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, allowing Pikachu to do so! The Electric Type zapped Onix multiple times, causing it roar in pain while the Bind continued to damage Pikachu in the process! Both trainers encouraged their partners to hold on and to keep fighting.

"Hang in there, Pikachu! It's working!" Ash cried out. "Onix! Bind it!" Brock yelled as the attacks went on! Everyone on the sidelines watched in shock as the match continued on! But eventually, it started to reach the end as the binding from Bind left Pikachu exhausted!

The electricity he shocked all over drained most of his energy, leaving Ash surprised to see that his partner was about to suffer the same defeat as last time! "Pikachu!?" Ash called out as Onix roared, aiming to Bind the Electric Type even more!

Isamu narrowed his eyes as he gave a glance to Ash, who seemed ready to call it off once more! But before he did, Brock made the call first, calling his partner off. "Onix! Stop it!" Brock yelled, causing the Rock Snake Pokémon to release Pikachu from Bind.

This surprised the Ketchum brothers as Ash quickly regained his choice to keep fighting. "No, Brock! I want to play this match to the very end!" Ash called out as the Gym Leader seemed to refuse, reminding the little brother of the trouble Pikachu had already suffered through.

"There's no point! I really don't want to hurt your Pokémon." Brock said seriously, catching Isamu by surprise.

 _"Brock..."_ was the only thing Isamu could think of, while Ash gritted his teeth in frustration, seeing himself fail once again! But just as things seemed bad, the sprinklers started to go off! The damage from the Thunderbolt earlier caused a fire on the pipes, signaling the water sprinkler to spray the field.

This was bad for the Rock Snake Pokémon as it roared in pain, due to his weakness against water! Isamu, Ash, and Yellow all turned in surprise while Misty called to the little brother to keep fighting.

"Ash! Rock Pokémon are weakened by water!" Misty called, causing Ash to understand as he turned to his partner to wrap the match up. "Pikachu!" Ash called, causing the Electric Type to nod in understanding. It was all Pikachu needed to hear so that he could use Thunderbolt as payback!

The powerful Electric Type attack used the water to shock and damage Onix severely! Isamu watched in amusement, as he smiled to see how well the battle was going. "Looks like little bro lucked out again..." Isamu said, causing Eevee to giggle.

As the Thunderbolt attack did its work, Onix fell to the wet ground, groaning in pain as the Rock Type Gym Leader was shocked to see this happen. "Onix!?" Brock said in disbelief as Ash prepared to make the finishing move! "Pikachu! Finish it off-" Ash started to say until he was stopped!

Isamu, Misty, and Yellow all turned to see the kids from before all climbing onto Ash, so that Onix wouldn't take any more damage! But Ash didn't seem to see this at first, as he shut his eyes from the feeling he thought he was getting.

"My conscious is holding me back! I can't... bring myself to beat Brock! I'm imagining that his brothers and sisters are stopping me from beating the one they love!" Ash groaned as Isamu sweat dropped from the corner Ash was being pulled into. "Ash... Open your eyes and see..." Isamu said with a sigh.

Hearing his brother speak, Ash blinked as he noticed that it wasn't his consciousness going away, but everything he was feeling or seeing was real! The little siblings of Brock and Luna were holding onto his body to stop him from moving as one of them snapped at the little brother.

"You leave Onix alone! My brother worked hard on raising it, big bully!" One of the brothers snapped as Ash sweat dropped at the situation he was in right now. "Believe me, I'm no bully..." Ash said as Brock walked over, annoyed at the interference.

"Stop it! Get off, all of you! This is an official match, and we're going to finish it, no matter what!" Brock said until one of his little sisters complained, refusing to obey his orders. "But Brock! We know that you love your Pokémon so much!" The little sister cried out.

"That's why we can't watch Onix suffer from another attack just like when it suffered by losing to the Eevee yesterday night!" One of the little brothers complained as this reminded Ash of something! Remembering when Brock stopped Onix from continuing on, the younger Ketchum brother bit his lips before he called his partner back.

"Pikachu! Return!" Ash called, causing the Electric Type to blink before he ran back to Ash, much to everyone's surprise, as Isamu blinked to see his brother forfeiting once again. Brock on the other hand, was annoyed to see his challenger quitting once again.

"What do you think you're doing!? This match isn't over yet, Ash!" Brock snapped as Ash managed to get the little siblings off of him before he explained his reasons.

"Those sprinklers going off was just an accident. Winning the match because of that wouldn't have proved anything... The next time we meet, let's do it my way, fair and square!" Ash said as he began to take his leave, causing Isamu to smile before he followed his little brother out.

Before the elder brother left, he gave one glance at Brock, as he gave a reminding smile to the Gym Leader, causing Brock to tense again before he soon understood. "Unexpected results... Maybe..." Brock whispered to himself as he watched Isamu leave.

Yellow watched in amazement, before she frowned. What Ash said was true... but with how cornered Onix was, any Trainer could've taken the chance to finish the opponent off. But Ash didn't... "He's not like the other trainers, is he...? And that goes for Isamu, too..." Yellow breathed out in amazement.

Misty turned to Yellow, before she looked back to where the Ketchum brothers had disappeared off to.

 **Meanwhile...**

Ash and Isamu were walking together as the elder brother smiled with the matured choice Ash had made back at the Pewter Gym. "Hey... Big bro... Do you think the decision that I made back there was the right one...?" Ash asked, as the elder brother smiled.

"That reason for wanting to play fair in the match was right... But, to be quite honest, I really didn't expect you to do something like that. Was it because of Brock sparing Pikachu that made you decide to do the same?" Isamu asked, earning a nod from his little brother.

"Yeah, I guess so..." Ash said as Isamu smiled. "Still... As the older brother, I'm proud that you made that decision instead of just taking that chance like a selfish battler..." Isamu said, causing Ash to smile and nod back with thanks. He then turned to Pikachu, apologizing for the harsh treatment.

"Hey Pikachu... I'm sorry if I was too tough on you back there, but you really did a great job!" Ash said, complimenting his partner. Pikachu accepted the apology, before he smiled back, as he seemed to understand Ash's reason for forfeiting once again.

But just as the two brothers got far, they heard Brock calling them from behind! "Hey! Ash! Isamu! Wait up, you two!" Brock called, catching the Ketchum brothers' surprise. They both turned to see Brock running towards them as he panted for all the running he had to do just now.

"Brock?" The two said in unison as the Gym Leader revealed on what he was holding on his right hand, presenting it to the younger Ketchum brother. "You forgot this!" Brock said as he revealed the same Gym Badge he had given to Isamu last night, much to Ash's surprise.

"A Badge? For defeating a Gym Trainer?... I can't accept that. I didn't beat you... I gave up." Ash said with a frown as the elder brother watched him, before Brock smiled as he confessed that the match was truly his loss, too.

"Nah... I lost to you. You beat me in battle and in being kind to all Pokémon." Brock said as Ash widened his eyes in surprise. Just as he was about to protest, Brock turned to where the sun was setting as he explained his true motives of his dream in the Pokémon world.

"To tell you the truth, I get more pleasure from raising Pokémon, than from making them battle. I don't care about being a great Pokémon Trainer... I want to become the world's best Breeder!" Brock said, as Isamu smiled at the reasons Brock was giving out.

"That sounds like a great dream... Then, why did you become the Gym Leader in the first place if being a Breeder is what you really wanted first?" Isamu asked as the Rock Type user turned to the elder brother, before he started to explain, only for someone else to get in and explain.

"It's because he needed to take care of his brothers and sisters. That's why he couldn't leave to achieve his dream." Luna said as she walked up to the three. "Huh!? You're... that girl that I met up with before I challenged Brock again!" Ash said, as Brock and Isamu both turned to the young girl.

"Right. My name is Luna. I'm one of the siblings Brock was taking care... Adopted sibling, that is." Luna said as Brock frowned at his adoptive sister getting into the conversation. Then, as Luna gave him the look of reminder, the Gym Leader nodded to her before he turned to Ash.

"Ash... I want you to take this and fulfill my dream... Will you do that for me?" Brock asked, causing Ash to nod and accept the Boulder Badge. "I will! And I will do my best to deserve this, too!" Ash said as he took the Badge with thanks. But just as they did so, Flint appeared to take part into the conversation, too!

"Brock! Luna! You two follow your own dreams." Flint said, catching the Ketchum brothers by surprise again. "Flint!?" Ash asked as the strange man took off his hat and hair disguise! His true face was revealed, revealing himself as a man who looked just like Brock!

"My father..." Brock said as Luna gave a sheepish smile, causing Ash to yelp in surprise while causing Isamu to narrow his eyes in suspicion. "Huh!? You mean, you're the good-for-nothing father who left home and never came back!?" Ash yelled in shock as Flint confirmed it as the truth.

"That's right... It was me. I couldn't become the great Pokémon Trainer I wanted to, and because I was such a failure... I was too embarrassed and ashamed to go back to my family." Flint explained with a serious look on his face.

Isamu frowned, remembering the time when their father had disappeared from Pallet Town, for a similar reason as Flint's, but in a different situation. "But... Why did you help me instead of Brock?" Ash asked as Flint gave an answer that knocked the younger brother down.

"You reminded me of myself... And you didn't seem to have a chance." Flint said, causing Ash to slump down while grumbling as Luna sweat dropped at the response. "It's time I started taking care of my family. You go fulfill your dreams and mine." Flint said, causing Brock to nod before he spoke.

"First... There are some things I need to tell you." Brock said, causing the father to understand.

"After all these years, I understand on how you must feel about me... Especially you, Luna..." Flint said, causing the young girl to shake her head, before she gave a soft smile to her adoptive brother's father.

"No... I don't have anything bad to say... All I want to say is, I'm glad that you're back to take care of your family." Luna said, causing Flint to smile back her as he then turned to Brock, prepared to face his consequences for abandoning his family.

"As for you, Brock... I want you to get everything off of your chest." Flint said as Brock took out something from his green vest as he handed it to his father... which was... a sewing string and needle?

Ash, Isamu, and Luna all sweat dropped, along with Pikachu and Eevee to hear the now former Gym Leader explaining the list of things of what his father needed to do in order to take care of his siblings, causing Flint to have trouble keeping up on what he was saying!

 **Brock** \- "Suzie always rips her dresses, so you better learn how to sew, and Timmy only eats cold spaghetti for breakfast. Tommy likes cornflakes for dinner..."

 **Flint (frustrated)** \- "Slow down! SLOW DOWN! I can't write that fast!"

 **Brock** \- "Cindy sleepwalks, so you have to tie a bell on her wrist. The twins never want to take a bath, so..."

 **That night...**

After all the 'to do' list Brock had given to his father, both he and Luna had packed their stuffs to head out to accompany the Ketchum brothers on their journey to become Pokémon Masters. "Hey, Ash... Isamu... Are you sure it's alright if Luna and I go with you two on your Pokémon journey?" Brock asked.

"Do you really have to ask, Brock? We already said yes before... So, there's no need for either of you to ask again." Isamu said, looking back as Eevee settled on his left shoulder. "Eevee!" Eevee cried out as Luna giggled.

"Just wondering... Who are those two girls following you guys?" Luna asked as the Ketchum brothers looked back to see Misty and Yellow following the four of them from behind! Yellow grew nervous, as she noticed Misty growing pissed off at the younger brother for trying to ditch her.

"Don't forget about my bike, Ash Ketchum! I'm gonna follow you until you pay me back!" Misty snapped as Yellow tried to calm her down.

"You don't have to be so mad, Misty... You can get another bike... You don't have to stalk him all the way just for that..." Yellow said, only for the orange-haired girl to ignore her.

"Argh! The girl with the female Pikachu... She's Yellow, and she's okay! But the one stalking me... No! Hey, Pikachu! Let's try to lose her!" Ash called as he began to run off, with Pikachu following behind him! Both Isamu and Eevee widened their eyes in surprise at the sudden dash as they tried to follow the two!

"Hold it, little brother! Don't leave us behind like this!" Isamu called as he ran after his little brother, with Brock and Luna following behind. "Wait up, you two!" "Hold on!" Brock and Luna cried out as they ran after the Ketchum brothers!

Yellow followed behind, while Misty trailed behind! "HEY! You won't get away!" Misty screamed as she ran after the younger brother as the chase was on! The six trainers all ran along the dirt road, with the Ketchum brothers taking the lead!

The former Gym Leader and his adoptive sister followed behind, with Yellow close by. Misty was the last to pick up the pace as the six all ran together, heading for their next destination, and the next step closer to each of their dreams (That is, if Luna, Yellow, or Misty has one...)!

But while they were running, none of them even noticed a pair of glaring eyes glaring down at them from above. The figure narrowed its eyes, until it noticed Luna as a part of the six! Its glaring eyes relaxed before it got out of sight, as if it was planning to follow the young girl!

At the same time, Luna stopped running and looked at the moon in the sky. She widened her eyes, before she frowned, as she placed her hands to her chest, as if she was reminded of something. "Maybe... There's a chance I could find him while traveling... He can't be gone... can he...?" Luna asked herself.

"Hey, Luna! Pick up the pace!" Brock cried out, causing the adopted sister to turn and run after her friends and adoptive brother, with the hopeful thought still in her mind.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

 **Chapter 12:** **The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

 **Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

 **Chapter 14: The Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

 **Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Brock: Here it is... That's Mt. Moon, where they say a meteorite has fallen down somewhere in there!

Ash: When you say meteorite, does it have something to do with the prehistoric times?

Brock: Exactly- Huh!? What the!? What's an Arcanine doing at a place like this!?

Luna: This Arcanine... No way... Could it really be...!? Is it you? The Growlithe that I loved when I was young?

Isamu: Looks like you have some explaining to do, Luna... Starting with your past.

Luna: I-I guess so... I just don't want to remember the horrible times that day...

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Isamu defeats Brock and earns the Boulder Badge

\- Isamu meets Brock's adoptive sister named Luna

\- Ash forfeits his rematch, but earns the Boulder Badge from Brock

\- Brock and Luna joins Isamu and the others in their journey


	11. Luna and Arcanine! To Mt Moon!

**Chapter 11: Luna and Arcanine! To Mt. Moon!**

"Mt. Moon... Doesn't the name sound romantic?" Misty asked as she and the others were approaching a large mountain called Mt. Moon, as she was the first to pick it up, having a relaxed feeling from just hearing the name of it. But Brock seemed to think differently of it.

"People say a huge meteor crashed into the mountain back in prehistoric times." Brock said as Luna frowned.

"Could it have been from a meteor shower? Or was it a large one that is able to create a huge crater?" Luna asked as Isamu made the answer. "I believe it's the one that created a large crater, Luna..." Isamu said, as Eevee relaxed on his left shoulder.

Pikachu seemed to be relaxing as well, as he felt comfortable lying on Ash's backpack. Yellow was still holding Chuchu in her arms, as the female Electric Type seemed a bit comfortable as well, being held securely in her partner's careful arms. "Wow... A meteor..." Ash said in amazement.

"But... is it really true? Doesn't that come from the story that happens from fairy tales?" Yellow asked, as she didn't sound so interested in this meteor conversation. Brock gave a small chuckle of understanding before he continued on.

"Well, believe it or not, the meteor from that story is called... the Moon Stone." Brock said, causing Misty to be in awe once again. "Ah... Now that's romantic!" Misty said as Isamu blinked, remembering the small rock he had found when he and the others arrived in Pewter City.

Out of all the rocks Flint had when he looked at them, he found one rock that seemed to look more like a stone, and a rare one, too. _"Could the rock I picked up from before when we arrived in Pewter City be... a Moon Stone? It looked like it was similar to it..."_ Isamu thought as he shook his head.

As soon as he finished his thought, he and the others heard someone screaming up ahead! "AHHHHH!" A man cried out, catching everyone by surprise. "What was that!?" Luna said in shock as Ash noticed something up ahead.

"There's someone over there!" Ash cried out as he tried to run for the man. But right at that moment, a large shadow loomed over him, causing him to pause his running and see what was above him! "Ash! Look out!" Isamu yelled as he tried to grab his little brother away.

But before he could do so, the figure had landed on the ground, getting between him and his little brother! The younger Ketchum brother helped in surprise as he fell back, with Pikachu landing besides him. Misty, Luna, Yellow, and Brock all ran over to see what was going on.

The dust cleared, allowing everyone to see who came out and startled them! It was a large, furry Pokémon! It looked more like a large canine with an orange furry body, with black marks on most areas. It even had beige fur around its head, chest, muzzle, and around its legs.

The tail was also the same as well. Brock recognized this Pokémon as he frowned at the sight of it coming. "It's... an Arcanine!" Brock called out as Isamu took out his Pokédex to scan the giant beast.

 _"Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon, and the evolved form of Growlithe. Arcanine is known for its bravery and fierce loyalty. It runs so smoothly, it appears to be flying and is known for its majestic cries."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed.

As Isamu looked back, he noticed how stern Arcanine looked, as it growled at him and the others! But to Luna however, the Fire Type didn't do anything that seemed dangerous to her as it began to approach her, causing the young girl to widen her eyes and take a few steps back.

"Wh-What do you want...?" Luna stuttered as Brock perked up to see the Legendary Pokémon approaching his adopted sister! "Get away from her Arcanine! Go, Oni-" Brock snapped as he was about to send Onix out, until Arcanine petrified him with his sharp glare, causing him to back off a little.

Ash, Yellow, and Misty all watched to see the Fire Type approach Luna even closer as Arcanine was only a few feet away from her! Luna shivered a little in fear, as questioning thoughts came to her mind, wondering why this Pokémon was so interested in her.

But before Arcanine could get even closer, both Isamu and Eevee blocked Arcanine by getting in front of Brock's adoptive sister! "Big bro!?" "Isamu, get out of there!" Ash and Misty cried out, to which Isamu ignored both. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt his new companions or friends as long as he was around.

But his determination didn't seem to faze Arcanine as it glared at him! Eevee shivered a little, as the Intimidation ability Arcanine had was affecting her. But it didn't seem to affect Isamu as he stood his ground, refusing to move while Luna watched in both worry and fear.

But then suddenly, something rolled on the ground, right between where Isamu and Arcanine was! Everyone watched in shock as smoke started to come out of the ball, preventing everyone from seeing what was around them!

"Ngh! What the...!? What's this smoke!?" Ash grunted as he covered his mouth, with Pikachu following along. Yellow and Misty did the same, as Brock tried to call for his adopted sister. "Luna! Where are you!?" Brock called out, as a scream was heard from everyone!

The five trainers all gasped to hear Luna's scream, along with a big figure zipping right past them! "Oh no! Luna!" Brock yelled as Isamu gritted his teeth in irritation, as he ran after the Legendary Pokémon, who had his friend on its back!

"Hey! Get back here!" Isamu snapped as he chased the two, with Eevee on his shoulder! Yellow was the first to see Isamu running off as she followed him. "Wait! Isamu, it's too dangerous to go alone!" Yellow cried out as she ran after her friend with Chuchu in her arms.

"Ngh... Pidgeotto! Use Gust to blow the smoke away!" Ash cried out, as he sent his evolved Flying Type out to clear the smoke! Using his wings, the Bird Pokémon blew all the smoke away, allowing everyone to see their surroundings. But there were a few people missing, however.

One was the wild Arcanine that encountered them before! And not only that, Luna, Isamu, and Yellow were all missing! This left Ash, Misty, and Brock alone as they were worried on what happened to their friends and siblings. "Isamu!? Where are you!?" Ash cried out in worry.

"Yellow and Luna are gone, too!" Misty shrieked as Brock clenched his fists in both concern and anger. "Luna..." was the only word he could say as he immediately realized that he had failed to protect the sister he had promised to protect when he had found her alone...

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

(Luna and Yellow joins in with the two)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The six run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, Luna, Yellow, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock, Luna, Yellow, and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

Arcanine kept running with the unconscious Luna on his back. As he kept running, he gave several glances to the human girl he was hoping to see after so many years of him running away... while leaving her to the human that kept abusing her for unknown reasons.

He felt a tear escaping from his eye, that seemed to be scarred deeply by something... something that caused him to have the scar. But the tear coming out of his eye wasn't because he was sad. It was mostly, due to him happy to see the girl that he cared for.

He pushed the emotional thoughts away as he knew, while he kept running from the humans Luna was with, they weren't safe until they were far from them. Jumping on several rocks to overcome the obstacles that were in his way, the Legendary Pokémon quickly headed for his home.

His home was a cave where he had a family inside. Waiting for him was a nine-tailed fox Pokémon named Ninetales. She was grooming her child, who seemed to be a bit different from her. This red fox Pokémon had six tails, and looked more like a playful fox cub. This cub's name was Vulpix.

After Arcanine had fled from the human that tried to kill him with his Pokémon when he was a Growlithe, he felt weak and ashamed as he had ran away, instead of protecting the girl that he was supposed to protect.

 **Flashback**

 **Pokémon POV**

 _After days of running, Growlithe kept panting, as he was tired from all the running he had to do. The bloody scar over his left eye kept stinging his sight, causing him to struggle to watch where he was going._

 _With only one eye, Growlithe had kept tripping over roots and rocks, causing him to gain scratches all over his body._

 _Once he felt like he couldn't keep moving any longer, Growlithe had fallen on his left side. As he did so, he felt something wet drop on his furry cheek. The Fire Type let out a weak groan. Looking up, he saw dark clouds, which seemed to be rain clouds._

 _As the Fire Type tried to get up with the remaining hope and determination he had, the rain pouring down on him washed his remaining hope away, causing him to fall back down and look up weakly at the dark sky. His vision had begun to blur, as he believed this meant his life in this world was over._

 _What he couldn't forget... was how scared the little girl was when he ran off after being attacked by the sadistic man who tried to kill him with the Pokémon that had sharp blades as arms and hands._

 _He could never forget... on how ashamed he had felt by acting like a coward when he should've fought back so that he could protect the human girl that he loved, and the girl he was supposed to protect, by the girl's dying mother before she had passed away._

 _But now that he was far from 'home', the Puppy Pokémon began to give up on the cruel world he was in... The world that caused him to run away from the girl he was supposed to protect, even if meant him suffering for it. But he had failed... failed because of his cowardness... failed because of his weakness._

 _The weak Fire Type was ready to pass away, until something seemed to drag him by pulling his tail! Growlithe weakly looked, to see that it was a Vulpix! The Fox Pokémon seemed stubborn, as she kept pulling Growlithe to a cave, where it seemed to be her home. As time passed by, the weak Fire Type started to feel warmth._

 _He slowly opened his eyes again to see Vulpix sleeping near the fire, where she seemed to have worked on getting lit with a few firewood that wasn't dry. He slowly got up, which Vulpix seemed to hear as she blinked in surprise to see her new friend coming back to reality. **"Are you okay?"** Vulpix asked out of concern._

 _ **"Y-Yeah... I'm fine... I think."** Growlithe grunted as he shook the remaining water out of his fur. While he was trying to do that however, the scarred eye stung him again, causing the Puppy Pokémon to wince and hold his eye with his paw. Vulpix quickly ran over to check his condition as she sadly explained._

 _ **"About your eye... I think... that scar is going to remain there from now on... There was nothing I could've done to make it go away in order to make you look better. I'm sorry..."** Vulpix said sadly as Growlithe only smiled at her for trying to help him as he nudged his nose onto hers, catching the Fox Pokémon by surprise._

 _ **"It's fine. Don't be. To tell you the truth, I really need to thank you... for saving my life back there. I thought I would've died in the rain..."** Growlithe said, causing the smile on the female Fire Type to come back as she dropped it again before she asked for her conditions._

 _ **"So... Do you mind if I ask what happened back there? Why were you hurt and what happened to you? It seemed like something bad happened to you while you were running..."** Vulpix asked as Growlithe widened his one eye, before he looked down painfully, shaking his head in shame._

 _ **"I... I ran away... from some human who tried to kill me with a Bug Pokémon that had blades as his arms and hands..."** Growlithe started, causing the Fox Pokémon to gasp and widen her eyes. Growlithe shook his head with annoyance and irritation at himself as he continued on with his story._

 _ **"I was... trying to protect the human girl that I was supposed to protect... The human who attacked me was her father... An abusive one, that is. The girl's dying mother asked me to take care of her... But I... I... I RAN AWAY LIKE A COWARD!"** Growlithe bellowed out with anger and shame in his tone._

 _Vulpix watched sadly as Growlithe buried his furry head with his paws, shaking with anger and shame as he remembered when he ran off with his mind telling him to run off. **"I couldn't protect her... I couldn't protect the girl that I was supposed to protect with my life..."** Growlithe sobbed as Vulpix tried to comfort him._

 _ **"Please... Don't cry. Nothing good will happen if you just sit there and cry... If you say that the human that attacked you was the father of that girl... then... I'm sure that he might've stopped his anger on her by now..."** Vulpix tried to say until Growlithe shook again, shaking his head in denial._

 _ **"You don't understand... That human was angry at her daughter... because he thought that she was the reason why the mother died! That's why the human mother asked me to look after her... until..."** Growlithe grunted sobbingly, causing the Fox Pokémon to now understand._

 _ **"Until... Ah... I see..."** Vulpix said with a sad tone as she bit her lips. She could only tried to comfort the Puppy Pokémon as time passed by, with the rain still pouring from outside._

 **End Flashback**

That time was something Arcanine could never forget. And today, as if it was a miracle, he had found the girl he had sworn to protect! She was here right now, on her back, still unconscious from his sudden appearance and the smoke commotion earlier. But what confused him was why she was with the other humans.

Ever since he lived with Ninetales, he had come to believe that all humans were dangerous, as there were some times when some arrogant and greedy humans came to capture him and Ninetales. There were also young Trainers wishing to catch them and their daughter. But he was able to stop all of them... thanks to the many years of training he had with Ninetales.

After he was comforted when he was a Growlithe, Arcanine had trained hard enough to keep fighting opponents, in case if he were to fight against a human that was the same as that girl's father. And the training didn't seem to be a waste, as he was able to beat them all, with his own strength and Ninetales' help.

His thoughts were finished as he finally arrived at his cave home. As he went inside, he met his mate and his precious daughter. **"I'm home."** Arcanine grunted, calling to his family. Vulpix quickly opened her eyes to see her father coming in with something on her back as she scurried over to the Legendary Pokémon.

 **"Daddy! Daddy! You're home!"** Vulpix cried out happily, as Ninetales walked over to him with a small smile on his face. **"You're earlier than I thought you were. Did something happen back there, honey-"** Ninetales started to say, until she noticed Luna on Arcanine's back as she jumped back in surprise.

 **"Arcanine!? Who... Why...!?"** Ninetales started to panic, until Arcanine calmed her down by explaining who she was with a serious and stern expression on his face. **"I... finally found her, Ninetales."** Arcanine said, causing Ninetales to frown in confusion until she realized on who the Legendary Pokémon meant.

 **"You mean... that human girl is...!?"** Ninetales started to say, with the husband nodding his large head. **"Yes... This is her... Luna. The human girl that I was supposed to protect and care for."** Arcanine said as Vulpix looked at the human girl by climbing onto her father's back. She had never seen a human up close before, and this made her excited.

 **"Oh wow... Daddy? What is this?"** Vulpix asked as Arcanine chuckled at his daughter's curiosity. **"This, sweetie... is the human girl I told you about when you were young."** Arcanine said calmly, causing the young Fox Pokémon to wag her tail happily as she knew what this could mean.

 **"She's that girl? Does this mean... She's going to be my big sis?"** Vulpix cried out happily, causing Ninetales to blink in surprise as she looked at her mate, causing Arcanine to nod with a smile on his face. **"Yes... She's going to be your big sister, sweetie."** Arcanine said, causing Vulpix to cheer for a new family member.

As Arcanine carefully laid Luna on the ground, Ninetales approached him with a hesitant look on her face. **"Are you sure about this, honey? There's a small chance that she might not be the same girl that you knew from those years..."** Ninetales said as Arcanine looked at her with a determined look on his face.

 **"I'll have to risk that chance... The only thing matters now, is that she is safe. She was traveling with a group of humans that seemed to be her friends, but... To tell you the truth, I don't buy it..."** Arcanine said, causing Ninetales to frown, but nod in understanding.

 **"I see... I can't say I blame you for not trusting those humans that you've seen... But, this poor child... She must've suffered a lot when you weren't around."** Ninetales said as she nudged her soft cheek, causing the young girl to respond as she slowly began to wake up.

 **End POV**

Vulpix blinked as Ninetales curled her tails around her, in case if Luna wasn't the girl that Arcanine was talking about. Arcanine on the other hand, stood close to her as Luna slowly got up and shook her head as she looked around to where she was. As soon as she laid her eyes on Arcanine, the young girl let out a shriek before she jumped back.

"AHHH! Ah... What..." Luna stammered as she remembered when Arcanine came out of nowhere and attacked her and her friends. But then all of a sudden, smoke started to appear around the area. Remembering that she fell unconscious at that time, the young girl stood up and walked over to the Legendary Pokémon, slowly.

"Um... Were you the one that saved me from that smoke attack...?" Luna asked, earning a nod from the evolved Fire Type Pokémon. As she was communicating with Arcanine, no one noticed Isamu and Yellow coming in, with Eevee and Chuchu with them. They panted for the chase Arcanine had caused them to do as Yellow slumped down.

"This is... where Arcanine lives? But why... did it bring Luna with it?" Yellow panted as Chuchu comforted her, while the older Ketchum brother frowned. "I don't know... but I think we're about to find out." Isamu said, as Eevee remained on his shoulder, still scared a little from the Arcanine she had faced when they met each other the first time.

As Yellow recovered from all the running she had to do, both she and Isamu watched as Arcanine went to the back of the cave and brought something to their friend, nudging it to her. As he did so, this caused Luna to widen her eyes in surprise. She slowly took the item from Arcanine's jaw, as she realized on what this was.

She held an old and dirty collar that seemed to have been ripped apart, like it was worn many years. The young girl looked back at Arcanine, who smiled at her, before he revealed the scar over his left eye. The sight of the scar and the collar made Luna remember everything as she slumped down to the cold ground.

Remembering everything about the one that protected her from her abusive father, the one that she thought had died... was here... He was right in front of her... The Growlithe that she had grown to love when her mother had passed away.

"N-No way... Are you... that Growlithe? The Growlithe who I thought had died when you were being chased by my father's Scyther? The one that I had grown to love...?" Luna asked with tears welling in her eyes. Arcanine gave her a comforting smile before she licked the tears from her cheeks, before he nuzzled her face.

At that, the adopted sister of Brock began to crack down as she wailed, before she hugged the Pokémon that she had loved in the past. Both Isamu and Yellow were startled to see their friend crying as Arcanine comforted her, while allowing her to bury her crying face into his soft neck.

A few minutes has passed, as Luna's wailing turned into light sniffles as she released Arcanine from her hug as she looked at him with her eyes. She wiped the last tear from her eyes before she placed her hand on his head, causing the Legendary Pokémon to growl in affection. "I missed you... ever since you left..." Luna said with a sad face.

Arcanine nodded in understanding as Isamu took this chance to ask his question by revealing himself, with Yellow following him. "Luna...?" Isamu said, causing both Ninetales and Arcanine to widen their eyes to see the two humans approaching them! Ninetales growled at them, before she curled her furry tails around her daughter.

Arcanine on the other hand, guarded Luna by going in front of her protectively, refusing to let anyone else hurt her. Both Isamu and Yellow flinched back in surprise, while Eevee and Chuchu shrieked in surprise as Luna stopped her canine from attacking her friends. "Wait! Stop! Arcanine, they're my friends!" Luna cried out.

This surprised the two Fire Types as they hesitantly backed off, allowing Yellow to sigh in relief while holding her hand to her chest. "That... was a close one..." Yellow said, while slumping back down to the ground as Isamu remained serious, as he was unsure whether to trust Arcanine's decisions or movements.

Before he could decide, Luna clapped her hands together with an apologetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, you two..." Luna said apologetically as Isamu frowned at her, as he knew that now was the chance to get some answers he was looking for.

"You have some explaining to do, Luna... How do you know this Arcanine?" Isamu asked as Luna looked down while biting her lips. Arcanine seemed ready to intervene and force the humans to leave, but one look from Luna's eyes made him realize that she wouldn't want that.

Ninetales and Vulpix watched as the young girl cleared her throat before she nodded in understanding.

"I suppose I do owe you both and the others an explanation about this... It happened on the same day Brock found me five years ago." Luna said as she sat down, with Arcanine curling around him. Ninetales sat next to him, as she knew what the story was about this human girl.

Vulpix wanted to listen as she got close to her new sister's side as Isamu and Yellow sat right in front of her, with Eevee and Chuchu listening in as well.

 **Flashback**

 _A five-year old Luna was playing with the Growlithe that her mother had given her before she had died. Ever since she had died, her father became aggravated and blamed her for her death. Because of that, Luna was never fed or washed clean while she was in the house._

 _But, thanks to Growlithe looking after her, the young girl was able to make food for herself and bathe herself while Growlithe waited for her. She was extremely thankful for the Fire Type and even asked whether Growlithe would like to be her partner when she starts on her Pokémon journey._

 _To her joy, Growlithe accepted immediately, making them best friends and partners as days went by. But that went downhill when Luna's father came to the house one night, looking extremely angry about something._

 _"Dammit! Those morons! Don't they care that I need to work there so I can earn money!? I'm not going to become some filthy beggar just because they reject me! Those spineless morons!" Luna's father bellowed as he slammed a wooden chair to the wall._

 _The yelling and the crash frightened Luna as she backed away, trying to escape from her angry father's sight. But she was too late to escape however, as the sadistic man caught her in his sight as he stomped over to her, with a furious look on his face._

 _"You piece of..." Luna's father hissed as Luna shivered in fear. "Wh-Why... are you mad at me, Daddy...?" Luna asked fearfully as the father slapped her hard to the ground! "EEK!" Luna shrieked as she fell to the ground hard, causing her to gasp in pain._

 _As she tried to stand, her father's foot laid on her head, giving pressure to it as pain was the only thing Luna felt coming into her head! "Ah... Ahh...! Stop! Stop it, daddy! It hurts! STOP!" Luna screamed, only for her father to kick her stomach, causing her to roll to the living room wall._

 _She coughed several times, trying to keep herself conscious as she watched the man slowly approach her, as he was gritting his teeth with anger. She grabbed her hair, causing her to scream as he tightened his hold on her, which seemed enough to rip her hair off as he spat at her._

 _"Filthy, little brat! This is all your fault, you little freak! Because of you... I lost everything! I lost my job... my money... I even lost Heather! All because of you being born!" Luna's father screamed as he threw her to the floor again, causing the young girl to gasp in pain once again._

 _Luna whimpered as she tried to get away, only for her father to kick her hard again, sending her to the wall again! The man took out a Pokéball, seething with anger as he sent something out! "Go! Scyther!" The father yelled as the Bug-Flying Type appeared, preparing to fight!_

 _Luna widened her eyes as she tried to scramble back and escape her father's rage, only for it to be futile as she was cornered! The father glared at her, with Scyther coming with him as he was now a feet away from her!_

 _"If I can kill you here right now... maybe my good luck will come back to me! I can avenge Heather by killing the monster that killed her when she was born! Scyther, kill her!" The father yelled, causing Scyther to widen his eyes in shock as he was hesitant to kill the daughter of his Trainer._

 _But before the father could snap at him, a figure landed right in front of Luna! Both the father and daughter widened their eyes to see that it was none other than Growlithe, who was standing protectively in front of her! The father scoffed and snapped at the Fire Type._

 _"Get out of the way, mutt... I can kill you too, if I want. You're another curse to this family! Just like this piece of garbage right here that you're protecting!" The father snapped, as Growlithe barked back, refusing to let anyone hurt Luna. To prove this, he lunged at the father and used Bite!_

 _Luna's father yelled in pain as he took a few steps back, wincing at the bite mark as Growlithe got off of him. This only increased his fury as he turned to Scyther. "Kill that mutt, Scyther! Kill him right now!" Luna's father bellowed, causing the shocked Scyther to be forced to obey._

 _Turning to face Growlithe, Scyther aimed his blades to attack as Growlithe got ready to fight back. Luna frightfully watched as the battle between Scyther and Growlithe went on, only for the battle to go short! As Growlithe got too close to the Bug-Flying Type, Scyther used this chance to slash Growlithe!_

 _It used Cut on his left eye, causing the Fire Type to howl in pain as he fell back, blood coming out of his left eye. Luna gasped in horror as Growlithe jumped back, despite falling on his side in the process. The father on the other hand, smirked evilly as he ordered Scyther to keep attacking._

 _But that was what broke Growlithe as he ran off, running out of the house as the father widened his eyes to see the Fire Type escaping. "Get back here, you filthy mutt! Scyther, go after it and kill it!" The father cried out as Scyther did so, chasing after the Puppy Pokémon into the night._

 _Luna scrambled up to her feet, backing away as her father fell onto the couch, exhausted from all the anger issues he had to deal with while abusing his daughter. To her relief, her father made no other attempts to kill her despite of his words._

 _While he was resting, Luna prayed that Growlithe was safe as time went by. But as someone was returning, she soon realized that her prayer was futile. Instead of Growlithe returning, it was Scyther who had returned! The Bug-Flying Type had burns and some scratches._

 _However, there were a few blood on its left blade, causing Luna to scream in horror, loud enough to wake her father up as he turned to see his Bug-Flying Type return. "Heh heh heh heh... Ha ha ha ha ha! Yes! The cursed mutt is finally gone!" The father laughed as he turned to his shivering daughter._

 _"And now to kill the remaining curse! Scyther! Use-" The father started to say until Scyther fell on his face to the ground! The father widened his eyes in shock before he seethed towards Luna, who managed to stand back up again._

 _"You little brat! If Scyther can't do it right now, I'll deal with you myself!" The father snapped as he approached Luna to prepare some torturing, until Luna glared at him, with anger in her teary eyes. "Sh-SHUT UP, YOU MONSTER!" Luna screamed, startling the father._

 _As Luna gritted her teeth against the man who killed Growlithe and tortured her in the past, she confronted him, no longer feeling fear, but anger in her thoughts as she punched her father to the stomach, causing the man to choke in shock and fall back as Luna approached him._

 _"This is your fault... I lost my best friend, because of you! You murderer! I wish you were dead! I wish that Mom was alive while you were dead! I hate you! I hate you so much! You're the monster and a curse in this family! Not me, you freak!" Luna screamed._

 _At those hateful words, the young girl ran out of the house to find her Fire Type friend, while leaving the bewildered father alone in the house that was slightly damaged from the issue before. Once Luna was far from the house, she ran around the forest to search for the Puppy Pokémon._

 _"Growlithe!? Growlithe, where are you!? Growlithe!" Luna cried out as she still hoped that her friend was still alive. But to her dismay, there was no response._

 _Time passed as Luna felt exhausted from her searching for Growlithe. Her stomach growled due to hunger, and her bare feet were cut all over, due to her forgetting to put on any shoes for outside. Once she lost all the light inside her, she fell to the ground and began to sob._

 _"Why... Why did this have to happen to me!? WHY!?" Luna wailed as she cried with the forest Pokémon watching her with pity._

 **End Flashback**

After the young girl explained her story, Yellow felt tears welling up in her eyes as she began to feel deeply sorry for the girl that was adopted by Brock. Isamu on the other hand, kept the stern look on his face as Eevee and Chuchu felt sorry for the girl that suffered in the past.

Arcanine nuzzled her as Ninetales watched, feeling pity for the human girl that Arcanine cared about. As for Vulpix, she didn't seem to understand most of the story, but from how her parents looked, she knew that it wasn't good as she tried to comfort her new sister, too.

"Just when I gave up... Brock found me in the forest. I was near Pewter City at that time when I gave up on searching for Arcanine, who was still a Growlithe. If it hadn't been for Brock and his family, I would still be hunted down by my 'father'." Luna said sadly.

She then turned to Arcanine, who smiled softly at her as she felt tears welling up in her eyes again she hugged the Legendary Pokémon's furry neck. "But... to think you were here all this time... I'm so glad, that you're okay..." Luna said shakingly, causing Arcanine to comfort her again.

This made the older Ketchum brother smile, as he was happy for his new friend, having been reunited with her old friend at last. "So... What are you planning to do now, now that you two are reunited together?" Isamu asked as Luna blinked in surprise.

"You know Arcanine already has a family here... And right now, you're on a journey to find out your true dreams, right? How do you expect to take Arcanine with you when he has a daughter and a mate?" Isamu asked, his smile being wiped off as Luna frowned at the serious question.

Ninetales then had an idea as she nudged Arcanine's cheek, catching the Legendary Pokémon by surprise, until he heard of his mate's idea. Liking the idea very much, Arcanine nudged Luna, causing her to look at her best friend in confusion. "What is it...?" She asked in surprise.

"Arcanine... I think he wants to join you, Luna... Along with Ninetales, too!" Yellow said, catching both Isamu and Luna by surprise as Arcanine nodded in affirmation, as if he was confirming that what Yellow was saying was true. This made the young girl smile happily as she hugged Arcanine's neck again.

"Are you sure...? Is this what you really want, Arcanine?" Luna asked, as she earned herself a lick on the cheek in response. Smiling with joy, she hugged her best friend once again as Isamu took out two of his Pokéballs for Luna to use.

"Here... Use these to accept the two into the team." Isamu said as Luna nodded, before she remembered something. "But, what about Vulpix? The little one needs to come with her Mom and Dad, doesn't she?" Luna asked as Vulpix smiled, happy to see her new sister was referring to her.

But before anyone else could make an answer, two voices interrupted their decisions! "We'll make it easy for you by stealing the little one!" A woman cried out, catching the three Trainers and their Pokémon by surprise! The Fire Type family all turned in surprise to see a net grabbing Vulpix!

The daughter shrieked as she was dragged away by the net as Ninetales and Arcanine immediately became furious at this as they prepared to attack the figures, until they were bashed away by two Pokémon! One looked like a giant rat, while the other seemed to be an angry ape!

"What are they...!?" Luna said in shock as she ran over to both Ninetales and Arcanine as Isamu scanned them both with his Pokédex.

 _"Primeape, the Pig Monkey Pokémon. Primeape can stop being angry when nobody else is around. To view this moment is very difficult."_ The Pokédex buzzed as the elder brother turned to the rat Pokémon this time.

 _"Raticate, the Mouse Pokémon. Raticate's hind feet are webbed. They act as flippers, so it can swim in rivers and hunt for prey."_ The Pokédex buzzed once again as two figures appeared, with evil looks on their faces! Yellow was the first to snap at them for the sudden surprise attack.

"Who do you people think you are, stealing Arcanine and Ninetales' daughter like that!?" Yellow snapped as the duo began introducing themselves... through a motto!

"Hah! Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

"Here's our mission, so you better listen!"

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation!"

"To denounce the good of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch, of course!"

"We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you will surely lose the fight!"

At the motto being explained, Isamu and Yellow both widened their eyes. "Team Rocket!?" Isamu said angrily as Yellow frowned. "They look a bit different from the Team Rocket we know... Their names were... Jessie and James?" Yellow asked, causing the woman named Cassidy to sneer at her.

"Oh! Jessie! That loser!? I don't want to hear that name from any of you brats! Hooch! Let's take the other two and get out of here with the whole family!" Cassidy snapped, causing Butch to glare at her for getting his name wrong. "It's not Hooch! It's Butch!" Butch snapped as Isamu made the first attack.

"You're not taking any more of our friends or comrades! Eevee, use Quick Attack!" Isamu cried out. At the order, Eevee used her speed to bash Butch away! The Team Rocket member yelled in surprise as he let go of the net that was holding Vulpix!

The Fox Pokémon let out a shriek before she was caught by Eevee, who was confronted by both Raticate and Primeape! As the two evolved Pokémon hissed at the Evolution Pokémon, Eevee hissed back, refusing to let them get closer to her or Vulpix.

"My my... An Eevee! Now this is a rare sight!" Cassidy said with a sneer as Butch made a suggestion to his teammate. "Why don't we add Eevee to the party? Then, the boss will be in for some comfortable times!" Butch suggested as Isamu ran in front of his partner.

"You think you can just barge into our conversation and steal our Pokémon away!? Geez, you guys are even worse than the other two we fought several days ago!" Isamu scoffed as Luna and Yellow joined in. This pissed the two members off as they ordered their Pokémon to attack!

"Don't you dare compare us with those losers, brat! Raticate, use Hyper Fang!" Cassidy snapped angrily.

"And Primeape, you use Cross Chop!" Butch added as the two Pokémon aimed to strike the three trainers down! Eevee, Chuchu, and Culpix all watched in fear for their human friends, until Ninetales and Arcanine interfered!

Angry at being attacked and for having their daughter almost stolen, the two Fire Types were furious as they glared at the Team Rocket members with hatred as they attacked their opponents back! Arcanine blasted Primeape away with his Flamethrower attack!

As for Ninetales, she also used the same attack as her mate to blast Raticate away as well! The impact of the attacks was so strong, that it knocked the two evolved Pokémon right into their trainers! "Argh! Raticate, get off of me!" Cassidy snapped as Butch was having a similar situation.

"Primeape, this is no time for a nap! This is a time for a fight!" Butch snapped as Arcanine and Ninetales prepared to finish them off. Luna ran besides them, looking at the both of them. "Are you two ready to finish this?" Luna asked, as she earned nods from the two Fire Types.

"Alright then! Once more, you two! Double Flamethrower attack, go!" Luna cried out as the two Fire Types blasted their flames on the duo, much to their surprise! Isamu and Yellow both watched in amazement as the flames caused an explosion, enough to send the Team Rocket duo flying!

"Blast! We had those three until those brats interfered with us!" Cassidy cried out as Butch felt the same way. "I don't think we should come to them again unless we're fully prepared! Such as fire-proof suits!?" Butch yelled as they disappeared into the blue sky.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" The duo cried out as they were soon out of sight. And once they were, Isamu folded his arms, not impressed with the display of power they've shown to him and the girls. "Good riddance..." Isamu said bitterly as Eevee hopped onto his shoulder.

"Eevee Vee..." Eevee said, feeling the same thing. Luna looked at the two Fire Types, concerned about their health. "Are you two alright? You didn't get hurt too badly, right?" Luna asked, as she earned herself a lick on the cheek by her best friend, along with a soft nuzzle from Ninetales!

Smiling in relief, she hugged the two, accepting them as she took out her two Pokéballs, as she prepared to ask ahain. While she was doing that, both Isamu and Yellow watched, until the older Ketchum brother felt something tapping onto his right leg!

He and Eevee looked down in surprise to see that it was Vulpix! "Vulpix Vul!" Vulpix said, with her eyes shining in admiration. "Vulpix...?" Isamu asked in surprise as both Yellow and Chuchu giggled together at the puzzled expression Isamu was giving off.

"I think your heroic actions along with Eevee's made Vulpix admire you two!" Yellow said as Isamu blinked, before he looked back at Vulpix, who was pawing onto one of his empty Pokéballs on his belt.

Smiling at the playfulness the little Fire Type was giving out, Isamu took the ball that Vulpix was pawing at as he knelt down to her. The two parents watched as well with Luna besides them, as the elder brother made his question to the young Fire Type.

"Vulpix... Do you... want to travel with me? Your parents will be coming too, with them being partners for Luna. All of us are going to have a fun adventure together, where we can see many other Pokémon and other discoveries. Would you like that?" Isamu asked softly.

"Eevee Vee?" Eevee asked, as Vulpix sat down before she let out a happy cry. "Vul!" Vulpix said as she allowed Isamu to tap her furry head softly with the Pokéball button. At contact, the ball opened, sucking the daughter of Arcanine and Ninetales in.

The ball shook a little before it clicked, signaling that the capture was a success! Isamu smiled at the ball, before he released the Fox Pokémon out, so she could be with her parents. "Vulpix! Vul!" Vulpix cried happily as she nuzzled her new Trainer's right leg, causing the elder brother to chuckle at the affection.

Arcanine and Ninetales watched in amusement before they turned to Luna, who kept the two Pokéballs in her hands.

"O-Okay, you two... Are you ready?" Luna asked as Arcanine was the first to accept. He tapped on the button, letting himself be captured as Ninetales followed suit! The two balls opened up, before they sucked the two Fire Types in.

Once they were inside, the two shook a little with the buttons glowing red several times. Then, there were double clicks, resulting in the capture being a success. Beaming at her new partners, Luna sent them out to let them walk besides her as Arcanine licked her again affectionately, causing the girl to giggle.

Vulpix wagged her tail happily to see her new sister being groomed by her father as Isamu and Yellow only laughed a little at the sight with Chuchu and Eevee. Ninetales just smiled, happy to see her husband reunited with the human girl she now decided to protect as well.

Once the affectionate time was done, Luna stood back up as Isamu made a reminder on what they needed to do.

"We should get back to the others... They're probably worried about what happened to us when they went and try to save someone..." reminded Isamu, as the girls nodded back in agreement. "I'm with you 100%..." Yellow said with Chuchu in her arms again.

At the idea, the parents weren't sure about this as Arcanine nudged Luna to show how uncomfortable he was with this, until she rubbed her head with comfort, making a reassuring face to both him and Ninetales.

"You don't have to worry... They're really great friends once you get to know them. One of them was the one that saved me when I was lost, remember?" Luna said reassuringly, causing Arcanine to soften his expression a little, despite of his hesitation.

Ninetales wasn't sure though, until Vulpix let out a happy cry, as she wanted to meet the new human friends as well. With the vigor her daughter had, the evolved Fire Type sighed, before she agreed to go with the human girl and her friends to meet their other friends as well.

Seeing how the two agreed with each other, Luna smiled, feeling grateful for the two. "Thank you... They'll like you two and Vulpix! I'm sure of it!" Luna said as she took the lead on walking back to the route. She turned to Isamu and Yellow, teasing them to pick up the pace.

"Come on, you guys! Time's a wastin'!" Luna cried out, causing Isamu to blink in surprise on how her attitude had suddenly changed. Yellow didn't notice it, however, as she ran after her, with Arcanine and Ninetales running towards their human girl as well.

Isamu sighed, before he joined the running, with Eevee and Vulpix at his side. As he ran with the new companions and the girls, the older Ketchum brother felt as if their adventure had just started, now that Luna has her own Pokémon to begin with.

And with the journey continuing on, the elder brother is soon about to discover, that his feelings aren't wrong.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

 **Vulpix: (F): (Ember, Quick Attack, Roar, Dig)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 12: The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

 **Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

 **Chapter 14: A Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

 **Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

 **Chapter 16: The Severe Training and Bond!?**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Seymour: Whoever hung up these lights are making all the cave Pokémon here suffer right now!

Isamu: I have a bad feeling that it's the same idiots that are getting in our way right now.

James: Watch your mouth, twerp! We'll show you who the true idiots are in this case!

Ash: I don't think so! You guys aren't getting the Moon Stone! It belongs to Clefairy here!

Luna: You people are even worse than my father! You won't be getting away with your cruel deed!

Jessie: Save it, twerpette! We'll show you all what happens should you mess with Team Rocket!

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Luna reunites with her best friend, Arcanine

\- Luna makes Arcanine and his mate, Ninetales as her partners

\- Isamu and Yellow learns more of Luna's dark past of her abusive father

\- Isamu recruits Arcanine and Ninetales' daughter, Vulpix into his team


	12. The Moon Stone and Clefairy!

**Chapter 12:** **The Moon Stone and Clefairy!**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", with Brock and Luna joining Isamu, Ash, Misty, and Yellow, the six Trainers were all headed for Mt. Moon, until they were confronted by a Pokémon named Arcanine, who was also known as the Legendary Pokémon!

As Arcanine confronts the six, it suddenly kidnaps Luna, forcing Isamu and Yellow to chase after the evolved Fire Type, who unintentionally led the two to his home den, where he had a mate named Ninetales, and a daughter named Vulpix.

As Luna recognizes the Arcanine as her old friend, Growlithe, she explains to both Isamu and Yellow about the story of her abusive father and when he attacked both her and Growlithe out of anger, causing the two of them to be separated for years, until they reunited once again.

As Luna pondered whether to take both Arcanine and Ninetales as her two partners, two new Team Rocket members named Cassidy and Butch appeared, attempting to steal the Fire Type family, enraging Arcanine and annoying Isamu in the process.

With the teamwork and effort she together, the Team Rocket duo were blasted away, as both parents of Vulpix accepted Luna as their Trainer and her partners. Vulpix on the other hand, joined with Isamu and Eevee, as she was most likely impressed and amazed for how they fought.

Now Isamu and the girls head back to the path in order to be reunited with their friends in order to continue their journey.

* * *

As Isamu, Yellow, and Luna all got back to the path to where they were headed, Luna frowned at the place they were currently in. Arcanine and Ninetales walked besides her as the young girl turned to where they left as she turned to the two Fire Types.

"Um... I don't know if it's right for me to ask, but were you absolutely sure that you wanted to come with me and Isamu? I mean, the three of you just left your home, so I'm thinking... maybe it wasn't a good idea to take you guys away..." Luna started to ask.

Both Isamu and Yellow stopped in their tracks as Vulpix looked at her new sister in worry. "Vul?" Vulpix asked in confusion as Eevee jumped down next to her Fire Type friend. "Luna..." Yellow could only say as Isamu stepped up, trying to reassure her that it was fine.

"It's okay... Luna, it wasn't just your decision... It was both of Arcanine and Ninetales' decision to follow you. Now that Arcanine is reunited with you, I'm sure he's wanting to protect you like when he couldn't do when you two were young, right?" Isamu asked.

He petted Arcanine's fur, causing the Legendary Pokémon to flinch a little, until he felt how comforting and soft Isamu's show of affection was. Still raising his guard up a little, the evolved Fire Type let the human boy pet him as Luna blinked, before she smiled.

"I... I guess you're right..." Luna said weakly as she hugged her canine friend, as Ninetales watched with a small smile on her face, seeing her mate bond with the human girl more as Luna spoke. "I guess I can't change your mind anymore now we're like this, huh?" Luna asked playfully.

That earned her a lick on the face from Arcanine, who seemed to 'disapprove' of her doubting his decision along with Ninetales' as the girl just laughed for the playful lick Arcanine had done as Isamu and Yellow just smiled at the bond the two were having.

Then, remembering about Vulpix, the elder Ketchum brother knelt down to the young Fox Pokémon and held her in his arms, earning a confused look from the Fox Pokémon in the process.

"If it's alright for me to ask... why did you choose me? You could've gone with Luna, so you would be with her and your parents. But instead, you decided to stick with me and Eevee... Why's that?" Isamu asked as both girls blinked at the question while Eevee was confused, too.

The only response Isamu got from the Fox Pokémon was a happy 'Vul!', as the elder Ketchum brother smiled sheepishly, realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere just by asking to a Pokémon he couldn't on as he smiled back at the young Fire Type.

"Guess I'm not going to get a clear answer from you, huh..." Isamu said as he set Vulpix back down, allowing the Fire Type to nuzzle noses with her mother, while giving the same affection to her father as Yellow gave a reminder to both Isamu and Luna of what they really needed to do.

"Um... I don't mean to break the bonding time, but... shouldn't we be on our way to catch up with Ash and the others?" Yellow asked as both Isamu and Luna blinked, before the two looked at each other and nodded to each other as the elder Ketchum brother took the lead this time.

As the three and their five Pokémon all ran to where Ash and the others were headed, they were soon in front of the cave entrance as to where Ash, Misty, and Brock seemed to have headed. "Well, this is the entrance to Mt. Moon..." Yellow said nervously as she gave a peek.

Inside seemed dark to the young girl as Isamu folded his arms while Eevee remained on his left shoulder. "What are you waiting for? If the others got in there, then so should we. Or... could it be, that you're scared?" Isamu asked teasingly.

Eevee seemed to get the hesitation of Yellow as she stuck out her tongue at both Yellow and Chuchu, causing the young girl to pout for the sudden teasing. "Ah...! I'm not scared! And neither is Chuchu! Right, Chuchu?" Yellow asked frantically.

As she asked her female Electric Type, the Pikachu nodded reluctantly, as she tried to show a brave face, only to falter a little when Isamu gave both Yellow and herself a knowing look as the elder Ketchum brother sighed, before he began to walk in.

"Yeah... Sure... Just let me do it if you girls are too scared." Isamu said as he marched into the cave without hesitation, causing Vulpix to scamper over to her new trainer. By the time the elder Ketchum brother and his two Pokémon got in, Luna followed after him.

Arcanine and Ninetales did the same without hesitation, leaving Yellow alone at the entrance as she began to pout for the intrusion they were about to do. "Oh, come on, guys!" Yellow complained as she ran in after her two friends, as she kept Chuchu in her arms.

As the three and their Pokémon all got in, Isamu noticed something strange about the cave as it seemed... too bright for some reason. "Strange... I expected Mt. Moon to be a bit darker inside... Why are there lights?" Isamu asked as he looked up to see lights lighting the cave.

Luna and Yellow followed as they noticed the strange thing Isamu found as well as the younger sibling of Brock folded her arms, trying to think of an idea on why there were lights. "Could... there be explorers exploring this cave?" Luna guessed.

"Or maybe... there could be some trainers that are using the lights to guide them through the cave! Anyone can get lost if the cave is too dark for them to see and get through." Yellow guessed as Isamu frowned, as he didn't believe explorers or Trainers would hang lights for those reasons.

"No... If there were explorers and Trainers around, then they should know better than to hang lights in a dark cave. See those Zubats over there?" Isamu asked, as he pointed to the Zubats that seemed to be panicking and crying out in both fear and pain.

At the sight of them, Luna immediately began to pity the Bat Pokémon, as she had never seen Pokémon suffering in their home territory. "What... What's happening to them? Isn't the cave supposed to be their home?" Luna asked as Yellow blinked.

"It's supposed to be... but the reason they're suffering is because of the lights! Zubats prefers dark places like when it's night or when they're in dark places... Bright places are the places that they hate the most... So, even their home is being disliked by them." Yellow explained.

Isamu nodded as he continued to walk through the cave, with the girls and their Pokémon following as the elder brother spoke again. "Right... And if I think correctly on who wants to make the Zubats suffer is..." Isamu started to say as the girls figured out who the culprits might be.

"Team Rocket!" Yellow and Luna cried out together, while causing Arcanine and Ninetales to growl at the mentioning of them. Vulpix just frowned as she gave a small whimper, remembering on how she was quickly captured before she was saved by her new Trainer.

As Isamu mentioned the evil trio's name, the elder Ketchum brother heard voices coming from a little up ahead as he gestured the girls to come with their Pokémon, as the two did so. Chuchu kept quiet in Yellow's arms, while Luna was being guarded by Arcanine and Ninetales.

As they got near to where the voices were, they noticed a small, pink Pokémon that seemed to be cowering up to a wall as it was being approached by something! "Don't be scared of Meowth!" A familiar, yet annoying voice sneered as Isamu narrowed his eyes.

But by the time he and the girls arrived to confront the Team Rocket member, Ash, Misty, and Brock all arrived at the scene at the same with a scientist that seemed to be easily freaked out as both Ash and Isamu called out Meowth's name.

"It's Meowth!" The Ketchum brothers cried out together, causing them to notice each other as Meowth began to panic at seeing two groups confront him at the same time! "Meowth!? What are you all doing here!?" Meowth panicked as Yellow snapped back at him.

"That's what we should be asking you!" Yellow scoffed as Pikachu and Eevee reunited together happily, before they ran over to the pink Pokémon named Clefairy, who seemed to be still scared of what was happening. That was when both Pikachu and Eevee reassured to it that it'll be fine.

"Pika! Pikachu!" "Eev! Eevee vee!" The two reassured Clefairy, as the former frightened Normal Type nodded happily as Ash called out to his Electric brother. "Big bro! You're okay!" Ash exclaimed as Isamu smiled back at his little brother.

Misty and Brock on the other hand, expressed their relief for Yellow and Luna's safety. "Yellow, it's such a relief!" Misty said as Yellow nodded back while Brock sighed. "Don't ever scare me like that, Luna..." Brock said as the little sister just pouted at him.

"Jeez... You worry too much, Brock. I'm just fine, thanks to Arcanine and Ninetales here!" Luna said as she stood between her two Fire Types, stopping Ash, Misty, and Brock in their tracks as they noticed the two Fire Types next to Luna as Ash gave a reluctant look to his brother.

After seeing his sheepish smile and a reassuring nod, the little brother calmed down a little before he scoffed at seeing Meowth. as he realized that the other two members were nearby.

"So... Team Rocket is causing all the trouble around here... what a surprise." Ash said sarcastically as Brock began to act serious on how to stop the enemies. "We've got to stop them before they cause any more troubles..." Brock started to say until two more familiar voices sneered.

"Trouble?"

"Make that double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"They sure are show-offs!" The scientist said annoyingly as the younger Ketchum brother smiled sheepishly at the evil trio, realizing on how many times they spoke that motto many times.

"Don't you guys get tired of saying the same thing over and over...?" Ash asked as both Jessie and James just sneered at the younger brother. "You're just jealous, boy..." "...because we won't let you join us!" They spoke together as Ash glared at them.

"I'd never join up with you!" Ash snapped as Luna stepped up, snapping st them for their foolish decisions of putting up the lights. "So we were right... You crooks are the ones that hung up all these lights, didn't you!?" Luna snapped as Brock spoke along.

"If you did, then it's your fault that the Pokémon are living here are so confused!" Brock snapped along as the evil trio just smirked as they revealed their plans for Mt. Moon. "What a shame..." Jessie said mockingly as James followed along.

"How will we ever forgive ourselves?" James asked mockingly as Meowth was the first to reveal their plans.

"We want to get our hands on the Moon Stone so we can power up our Pokémon with it!" Meowth explained as Isamu sweat dropped, as this meant Meowth could be forgetting that he was a Pokémon himself, as the elder brother didn't bother trying to correct him.

"Idiots will always be idiots, no matter how hard we try to change them..." Isamu grumbled to himself as Jessie continued on with the explanation. "With the Moon Stone in our hands, nothing will stop us!" Jessie declared arrogantly as Ash stepped up, refusing to let the three go on.

"We won't let you get away with it!" Ash snapped as Brock began to mock them angrily.

"You want a rock? Take one of these, and get lost!" Brock demanded as this made the evil trio offended a little, although they showed it in a mockingly way. "Get lost? How rude..." Jessie sneered as James prepared for a Pokémon battle.

"Let's teach him manners!" James suggested as the two Rocket members took out their Pokéballs for battle. Ash, Brock, and Isamu did the same as they got their Pokéballs out for battle as Ash turned to Misty, while Isamu turned to Luna.

"Keep an eye out for Seymour and Clefairy, and make a run for it while you get the chance!" Ash said, causing Misty to nod in understanding. "You go with Misty and Yellow, Luna... And just like Ash said, keep an eye on those two." Isamu said, as Luna nodded along.

"Alright... Just be careful..." Luna said as she turned to her two Fire Types, as the two nodded together in understanding. Vulpix just hid behind Isamu's legs as she was a little afraid on what's about to happen as the two Rocket members jumped off the rock for battle!

"Ready or not! Ekans! Koffing!" The two cried out as their Poison Types came into play for the match!

"Butterfree, I choose you!" "Nidoran, take the field!" "Here we go! Hah!"

Butterfree and Nidoran took their positions for facing Team Rocket, as another Pokémon belonging to Brock appeared! To Ash's surprise, it was a Zubat, just like the other wild Zubats he had seen! "A Zubat!?" Ash said surprisingly as Brock explained for how he got it.

"I captured it just before we got in the cave!" Brock explained, much to Ash's chagrin as he slumped down for his failure to catch one. "Aw... I should've caught one..." Ash groaned as Isamu gave a reminder to Ash about the battle starting.

"You can worry about Zubat later, Ash! Here they come!" Isamu warned as James made the first move!

 **Jessie / James: Ekans / Koffing VS Ash / Isamu / Brock: Butterfree / Nidoran / Zubat**

"Koffing! Smog attack, go!" James called out as Koffing did so! Poisonous gases covered the cave area until Ash and Brock countered it with their Flying Types! "Butterfree! Whirlwind, now!" "Zubat! Double Team, now!" Both battlers yelled together.

At the order, both Flying Types used their wings' powers to deflect the Smog Attack, which covered both Jessie and James instead! "What...!? What's this!?" James gasped as he and Jessie were covered by the Smog as both Ketchum brothers smiled at their current progress.

"Not bad!" Ash exclaimed as Misty urged Seymour, the scientist to move. "Quick! Now's our chance!" Misty cried out as she pushed Seymour to move, while Luna and Yellow followed. Arcanine and Ninetales ran alongside them as the battle continued on.

Jessie ordered a Bite Attack, as it was about to do so, until Isamu countered the Poison Type with his own! "And where do you think you're going!? Nidoran, Horn Attack!" Isamu yelled as Nidoran did so, bashing the Snake Pokémon away, while causing it to hit Koffing at the same time!

"Ah! Poor Ekans!" "No! Koffing!" Both Jessie and James gasped as Ash and Brock smiled for the save.

"Thanks for the save, big bro!" Ash exclaimed, as Isamu nodded back as he continued on with the battle.

"Keep the pressure up, Nidoran! Now, use Double Kick!" Isamu called as Nidoran ran, kicking Ekans with his first, while kicking Koffing for his second kick! This caught the two Poison Types off guard as the elder brother turned to the former Gym Leader.

"Brock, do it now!" Isamu called as Brock nodded Ash he called for Zubat to attack. "Go! Zubat, use Supersonic!" Brock yelled as the Bat Pokémon did so! Using the sound waves from its voice, it began to confuse both Ekans and Koffing, causing the two to attack each other!

"Ah! Oh no!" James gasped as he and Jessie watched to see their partners fighting against each other! "Ekans! Koffing!" Jessie snapped as James snapped along, annoyed with how his partner was doing. "What's the matter with you weaklings!?" James snapped as Brock smiled.

"Ekans and Koffing are getting confused!" Brock said as Ash made the finishing touch. "Butterfree! Whirlwind now! Blow them all the way out of the cave!" Ash called out as Butterfree did so, by flapping his wings as fast as he could! As the wind started to take effect, both Jessie and James tried to resist!

Unfortunately for them, their two confused Poison Types were sent flying in the air, as they crashed into ther trainers! This caused them to be sent flying as well! "It's time to rocket blast it off!" James wailed as Jessie angrily promised to give a rematch to the three.

"You may have won this round, but we'll be back!" Jessie screamed as she and James disappeared into the darkness of the cave, with Ekans and Koffing still fighting against each other!

By the time the coast seemed clear, Isamu thanked Nidoran for the help as the little Poison Type was returned to his Pokéball.

 **Winner: Ash, Isamu, Brock**

"We did it! Yeah!" Ash exclaimed as he, Isamu, and Brock all bumped their arms against each other to celebrate their recent victory, until Isamu realized that something was missing from the trio. "Wait... Aren't we guys forgetting about someone?" Isamu asked.

By the time Isamu asked that, both Brock and Ash realized what the older Ketchum brother meant as the two began to ponder until the two of them realized what they were missing! "Ah! Where's Meowth!?" The two cried together as Isamu gritted his teeth.

"He must've went after the girls and Seymour... That pipsqueak!" Isamu snapped as he began to run out of the cave to where Seymour and the girls went, as Eevee ran at his left side. "Isamu, wait! Big bro!" Ash called as he ran after his elder brother, with Brock and Pikachu following.

 **To Luna and the others...**

Whie the girls and Seymour were chasing after the Normal Type, the four all noticed Clefairy escaping outside! "Oh no! Clefairy's running away!" Misty gasped as Luna took off after it first. "Let's go! Arcanine! Ninetales!" Luna called as she ran, with her two Fire Types behind her.

Yellow, Misty, and Seymour all followed, until they reached the rocky cliffs, where they all had to climb to get on top! "Clefairy! Come back!" Seymour pleaded as Clefairy kept running off, until it ran into the most annoying member of all in Team Rocket!

"Meowth! Caught you now!" Meowth sneered as Clefairy widened its eyes in shock. Luna heard the shocked cry from Clefairy as she first looked up. "Oh my goodness! Clefairy!?" Luna gasped as Misty, Yellow, and Seymour all looked up as well to see Clefairy jumping off!

It knocked onto Luna, causing her to bump into Yellow as the girls shrieked ar being sent falling to the water! Both Arcanine and Ninetales took alert as they both ran down to save the girls as Arcanine caught Luna on his back, while Yellow was caught by Ninetales!

"Eek! Ah... Thanks, Arcanine..." Luna said thankfully as Arcanine just nudged her affectionately, as Yellow did the same with a smile at Ninetales. "Thank you..." "Chu..." Both she and Chuchu said together, as they earned a nod of approval from the evolved Fire Type.

Misty and Seymour climbed back down to check up on the two as Misty ran to her two friends. "Luna! Yellow! Are you two alright?" Misty asked in concern as Luna nodded with a small smile. "We're fine, thanks to Ninetales and Arcanine..." Luna said reassuringly.

"Not for long, you pipsqueaks won't be!" Meowth sneered as he jumped off the bridge to confront the girls and Seymour! As Clefairy suddenly got onto Seymour's back, the annoying Team Rocket member unsheathed his claws to attack!

"Alright! Give Meowth that Moon Stone!" Meowth demanded as Seymour tried to negotiate with the Normal Type member.

"M-Meowth? I'm sure we can be reasonable about this!" Seymour requested, only for us request to be shot down as Meowth tried to strike! "No, we can't!" Meowth snapped as he lunged at Seymour, as Luna countered Meowth with her two Fire Types.

"Think again! Ninetales! Arcanine! Send that flee bag flying! Flamethrower!" Luna cried out. Both Fire Types complied, as they began to burn Meowth with their fiery Flamethrower attacks! "MEOWTH! MEOWTH! THAT'S TOO HOT FOR MEOWTH!" Meowth yelled out loud.

"Well then! You shouldn't have made all the Pokémon in Mt. Moon suffer because of your selfish desires! Finish him off, you two!" Luna cried out. They didn't need to be told again as both Fire Types blasted Meowth away again with their Flamethrower attacks!

While they were doing so, Misty and Yellow watched in amazement to see Luna handling Pokémon quite well, despite of her shy personality as Meowth was sent flying into the air! "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS! HOOOOOOOOT!" Meowth screamed as he disappeared out of sight.

"Have a nice burn, Meowth!" Yellow cried out as Chuchu did the same, saying her "farewell" to the annoying Team Rocket member. As Meowth was gone for now, Luna knelt down to the water, hugging both of her two Fire Type partners.

"Thanks, you two... I think all of us can finally be at ease for now..." Luna said happily as Arcanine smiled, giving her a lick on the cheek while Ninetales just nuzzled her human child softly with a soft smile on her face.

"Hey! Is everyone alright!?" Ash called out as he, Isamu, and Brock ran to meet up with the others as Misty smiled, before turning to Luna. "We won't be bothered by Meowth for a while, thanks to Luna and her two fiery friends..." Misty said reassuringly.

The elder Ketchum brother blinked in surprise, before he turned it into a knowing expression, as he realized on what Misty meant. "I see... Well, that's a relief." Isamu said as he realized that Arcanine and Ninetales were the ones that sent Meowth packing.

 **That evening...**

As the sun was setting, everyone was settling around in a rocky area where it seemed to be safe as Ash noticed something that Brock was giving to Zubat. "What's that?" Ash asked as the former Gym Leader explained.

"This is Pokémon food! Made from my own secret recipe! The ingredients are specially blended for each Pokémon!" Brock explained as he gave one to Ash, who fed it to Butterfree. The evolved Bug Type took it, seemingly enjoying it as Butterfree wasn't stopping from eating.

While Ash, Brock, and Seymour were settled on the subject of the Pokémon food, Yellow was taking a nap with Chuchu as Misty watched the boys speak about the food subject. Luna on the other hand, sat with Arcanine and Ninetales with her back against the rocky wall.

Isamu joined the young girl as he was impressed for the battle Luna had pulled off earlier. "I gotta say, I'm impressed that you were able to handle Meowth alone without needing anyone else's help." Isamu said as he kept Vulpix in his arms while Eevee was on his left shoulder.

"Eev! Eevee!" Eevee said happily as the two evolved Fire Types watched to see Luna speak nervously, as if she felt a bit nervous to speak to the elder Ketchum brother. "That's only because... Arcanine and Ninetales were here to help me, that's all." Luna said nervously.

Vulpix watched her human sister fidget before she jumped out of Isamu's arms and looked up at her. "Vulpix! Vulpix Vul!" Vulpix cried out happily as Luna smiled at the energetic Fire Type. Picking the Fox Pokémon and holding her up, Luna gave a soft smile to the young one.

"Mm... I wish I knew what you were saying... If I could, then I would be able hear of what you're saying to me..." Luna said sadly as Isamu watched her bond with his newly caught Fire Type.

Looking towards the sun setting, Isamu smiled at the sight as he raised a question to the young girl. "The sunset looks great, isn't it?" Isamu asked, catching Luna's attention as she turned to see where he was looking at as she noticed the bright sun setting down, making the sky become orange.

"It sure does... Beautiful." Luna started to say until her stomach growled a little. The Fire Type family heard this as they just chuckled at Luna, who became flustered for the rude interruption as she pouted.

"Shut up, tummy... I can't be that hungry already..." Luna whined as Isamu chuckled along, before he searched through his pack before he took out something wrapped as Luna gave a glance at it in confusion. "What's that...?" Luna asked as the elder brother smiled.

 **Isamu's POV**

"Something I picked up at the store before we left Pewter City." I said before handing a wrapped bread to the young girl. Shyly, like she always was, she accepted it and unwrapped it, causing her to widen a little in surprise as she recognized on what it was.

"Rye bread...?" Luna said as I nodded, before unwrapping mine. "Yeah... And there's a bonus that I've got by getting two ryes for some reason..." I said, before taking out a small jar as our Pokémon watched in curiosity.

Luna slowly reached our and opened the jar, as she reached with her two fingers. Then, she widened her eyes as she pulled her hand out, seeing cream all over her two fingers. "Cream...?" Luna said in surprise as I chuckled.

"Why so surprised? The store manager said that cream and bread together makes it more delicious. Go ahead and give a taste!" I said as I lathered some cream onto my rye bread. Luna watched me as I got the cream on the rye bread before I broke it into three large pieces.

One piece, I gave to Eevee, who happily accepted it as she began to munch on it. Vulpix only looked at it with curiosity before she took a munch, before she began to devour it all. Heh, the little fox must be enjoying it for her to eat like that...

I took my turn snacking on mine as I began to enjoy the taste of the cream and bread together, as Luna watched the three of us eat as I noticed her staring at me, causing me to narrow my eyes in confusion as I turned to her, noticing that she hadn't started eating.

The cream was lathered, but she wasn't eating as she seemed nervous about it for some reason. "What is it?" I asked as Eevee licked the cream off of her face. The young girl turned to me before she shook her head with a soft smile on her face.

"It's just... I never gotten anything from a boy before... Not counting Brock, that is..." Luna said shyly as I noticed a small blush forming on her cheeks as I blinked, before I smiled in understanding. "Right..." I could only say, as I didn't want to remind her about her tragic past.

Luna then slowly broke the bread into three big pieces similar to mine as she gave one to Ninetales, while giving the second one to Arcanine. The two strong Fire Types seemed to enjoy the bread and cream combination as they had contented looks on their faces.

I could only smile as I figured what the two Fire Types were siding with Luna for. Ninetales could be acting as her mother, while Arcanine could be acting as her father... And Vulpix could be acting as a little sister. It makes sense, doesn't it?

The three Fire Types were families, and if they were adding Luna into their pack, then Luna might have a better family, allowing her to forget the past she was forced to endure. As Luna was the last to finish her rye bread, I had to ask...

"How was it? Did it taste good?" I asked as Luna gave a soft smile, before nodding repeatedly. "Mm hm! It tasted delicious... Thanks for treating me one..." Luna said happily as I chuckled at the expression change. Somehow, I feel as though that the two of us weren't going to be apart for a while.

 **End POV**

Just as the two were done with their bread snacks, their attention was caught by both Pikachu and Clefairy, as everyone turned to see the two Pokémon speaking to each other, causing Ash to comment about his Electric Type's gift to befriend others.

"Pikachu makes friends so easily! I wonder what they're talking about!" Ash said as the two Pokémon turned to the humans and their other Pokémon friends! The Electric Type called to Ash, making movement with his yellow paws as Ash blinked in confusion.

"What's up, Pikachu?" Ash asked as Clefairy hopped for, causing Pikachu to follow! Eevee, Chuchu, and Vulpix followed along, causing the humans to follow, along with the two evolved Fire Types. As the humans followed, night happened with the sun setting down completely.

The moon shone bright in the sky as the five Pokémon ran ahead of the humans to lead them somewhere as Ash frowned, confused on what his partner was doing. "Pikachu? Where on earth are you taking us?" Ash asked as Isamu made a guess.

"I'm guessing it has something to do with the Moon Stone Clefairy has right now..." Isamu guessed as the seven humans followed. As the Pokémon and humans reached to the top of the hill, everyone noticed a cave up ahead as Yellow was the first to see it.

"It's another cave? Could something be in there?" Yellow asked as everyone began to walk towards it. As they did so, everyone headed inside to see what Clefairy was leading them into. And to their amazement, it was something that they wouldn't forget so easily.

In front of everyone, was a giant boulder that seemed to be shining as Seymour seemed to recognize the boulder. "It's the core of the Moon Stone!" Seymour exclaimed as Misty was awed to see the size of it. "It's like a dream...!" Misty said as Brock smiled.

"So, the legend is true..." Brock said in awe as Isamu looked down to see Clefairy running over to the core as Ash commented on its actions. "Look! Clefairy is doing something!" Ash pointed out as they all watched to see Clefairy placing its Moon Stone onto the core.

As it did so, the core began to shine brightly, amazing everyone as they witnessed a bunch of Clefairy walking towards the core, as if they were preparing to do something with the core! "There are so many of them!" Misty called out as one of them approached the group.

It gave a small bow to the group as Luna giggled at its actions. "Do you think it might be saying hello to us?" Luna asked as Brock just smiled, before making his answer. "Yeah..." Brock said as Yellow blinked to see what the Clefairys were doing next.

"What are they doing this time?" Yellow asked as everyone turned back to see the Clefairys all dancing around the core. Eevee, Pikachu, Chuchu, and Vulpix watched in both curiosity and amazement while Ninetales and Arcanine smiled in approval.

They seemed to be enjoying the "show" the Clefairys were giving them as Seymour smiled for what they were together. "Amazing... These Clefairy formed their own society! This is an incredible sight!" Seymour commented as Pikachu's watched the Clefairys dance together with the Clefairy he befriended.

The two spoke to each other again. As they continued their conversation, something that Clefairy said left Pikachu amazed as he tried to ask for more. While their talk was going on, Ash approached his Electric Type, curious as to what they were saying together.

"Hey, Pikachu...? What has Clefairy been saying to you anyway?" Ash asked. Both Pokémon turned to the humans and their other Pokémon friends as the Electric Type tried to translate to the humans of what they were saying together.

"Pika! Pika Pi! Pika Pika!" Pikachu explained as he made movements to try and get the Ketchum brothers to understand as Seymour was amused by this. "You understand that?" Seymour asked as Ash smiled, before answering.

"Of course I do! It's my Pokémon! The Clefairy collected all of these rocks and... do the Macarena!" Ash tried to translate, only to fail as Pikachu fell over, before making a cross sign to Ash that he was wrong. "Looks like you translated wrong, little bro..." Isamu said dryly.

To that, the Electric Type pulled Clefairy over, trying again as Ash tried again. "The Clefairy... pick up?" Ash said confusingly, with Brock joining in. "A pickup truck?" Brock questioned until Misty got the answer. "Raising?" Misty asked as Pikachu nodded.

"That must be it! Raising!" Yellow exclaimed as Pikachu nodded again, before he tried to make movements as Ash was confused, being dense as ever with the complicated details. "The Clefairy likes raisins...?" Ash asked, annoying Pikachu as the Electric Type shook his head.

To that point, the Electric Type pulled a hair out of his Trainer, stinging the younger Ketchum brother as he watched to see his Electric Type present his hair as Misty tried to think of something relating to hair. "What rhymes with hair?" Misty asked as Luna blinked.

"With hair... Could it be... prayer?" Luna guessed as Pikachu cheered, causing Isamu to smile at the reaction. "Looks like that's it... Prayer was the answer!" Isamu chuckled, as Luna smiled softly at that. Pikachu cheered again as Ash smiled, finally getting the true answer.

"The Clefairy pray to the Moon Stone!" Ash exclaimed as Seymour looked up, trying to guess on why that is as he made a guess. "Is it because the Moon Stone fell from the heavens?" Seymour asked as Misty frowned, before she made her guess as well.

"Then I guess the legends are true... Maybe the Moon Stone really did come from space." Misty said as Isamu and Luna watched together. Ninetales and Arcanine watched along with their human girl as Eevee and Vulpix watched in awe.

"From the heavens..." Luna repeated as she bit her lips. The elder Ketchum brother noticed her as he frowned. Both Ash and Misty didn't know that Luna's mother was dead and that she had a tragic past, no thanks to her abusive father. He was about to say something until Seymour cried out loud.

"OF COURSE! It all makes sense now!" Seymour cried out, startling the others as Ash asked with a confused look on his face. "What does?" Ash asked as the scientist began to explain.

"Outer space! Pokémon and humans will ride the Moon Stone into space! First to the moon! Then to Mars! Then together to the stars!" Seymour cried out enthusiastically. But before anyone else could react to the wishes Seymour was thinking about, a familiar trio interrupted, interfering with their discovery!

"Stars? That's our cue!" Meowth sneered, catching everyone's attention! They all turned to see the evil trio confronting them as the six trainers all glared at their enemies. "You guys don't know when to quit!" Ash snapped as Isamu narrowed his eyes.

"Haven't you morons done enough damage for one day? We don't need you idiots to come around and ruin a good moment when it's starting to become better!" Isamu snapped as Eevee growled at them. "Eev! Eevee Eev!" Eevee snapped as Meowth blinked in shock.

"HEY! Who are you calling a flee bag!?" Meowth snapped as Luna blinked, before she giggled.

Seymour ran up to them, demanding that they stop their eyes by trying to block their way! "You keep away from the Moon Stone or else!" Seymour snapped shakingly as the evil trio just sneered at the threat the scientist was trying to make.

"Or else?" James repeated mockingly as Jessie followed along.

"I think we've been threatened!" Jessie said mockingly as Seymour began to shake his legs, while trying to hide his fears of the evil trio at the same time. "The Moon Stone belongs to the Clefairy, not to you troublemakers! Leave this cave at once!" Seymour demanded shakingly.

Seeing how shaky the scientist was, Jessie and James sneered, as they mocked the scientist for his obvious fear of them.

"What's that unusual sound?" James asked as Jessie made the answer.

"His knees are shaking!" Jessie sneered as Meowth insulted the scientist with a sneer.

"Sounds like a wimp!" Meowth commented as this caused the scientist to snap. "I'LL SHOW YOU! WAHHHHHH!" Seymour screamed as he ran to charge at the evil trio, despite of Isamu and Ash's warnings.

"Don't! Seymour!" "You're going to get yourself hurt if you charge at them like that!" The Ketchum brothers cried out, only for their warnings to come too late as Meowth tripped the scientist, causing Seymour to fall and lose his glasses in the process!

"Did you have a nice trip?" Meowth asked mockingly as Seymour recovered, before realizing that he lost his glasses by the fall. "My glasses... I can't see a thing!" Seymour grunted as he blindly searched around, while the group glared at their enemies.

"Oh, Seymour..." Misty said sadly as Yellow glared at the evil trio. "Do you guys have any shame on what you're about to do!?" Yellow snapped, as Jessie and James took out their Pokéballs to fight again!

"We have no shame in a Pokémon match, little brat!" Jessie called as she took out Ekans' Pokéball. "Enough talk!" James said as he took out Koffing's Pokéball. Ash, Isamu, and Brock prepared to fight as they sent out their Pokémon as well!

"I agree! Pikachu, go!"

"Onix, let's go!"

"Let's do it, Eevee!"

As the two Poison Types appeared out of their Pokéballs, Onix roared at them, while allowing Pikachu and Eevee to run up to his rocky head as the battle was about to begin again. "Let's show them that size doesn't matter! Ekans! Underground!" Jessie snapped as James followed along.

"Koffing! Smokescreen!" James yelled as Ekans did so, burrowing underground while Koffing used Smokescreen to blind everyone! As the smoke began to approach, Luna gave a small shriek at the smokescreen approaching as Arcanine ran to her, protecting the human girl.

"Urgh! Smoke won't stop us! Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash called, sending his evolved Bird Pokémon out. As soon as his Flying Type appeared to help, the younger Ketchum brother called for a Whirlwind Attack. "Pidgeotto! Whirlwind the smoke!" Ash shouted out.

At the order, the evolved Flying Type used the strength of his wings to blow some wind onto the smoke, causing it to disappear as Luna widened her eyes at the sight when the Smokescreen cleared away. "Oh no... Everyone! The Moon Stone!" Luna gasped.

Everyone turned to where the Moon Stone should've been, before they were all shocked. The giant Moon Stone core was gone, along with the evil trio! "The Moon Stone is gone!" Ash exclaimed as Misty knew what happened. "Team Rocket stole it!" Misty said angrily.

"The battle was all just a distraction so they could steal it right under our noses... Cheap tricks!" Isamu said angrily as Brock pointed to the hole, ordering Onix to make chase. "Alright, Onix! Follow them underground!" Brock called out as Onix did so, burrowing underground to make chase!

While Onix did that, the six trainers ran out the cave with their Pokémon to chase after the enemies. "They couldn't have gone too far! Let's make haste, everyone!" Yellow called as she ran ahead, causing the others to follow along.

 **Later...**

As the group chased after the evil trio, they heard a loud roar coming from up ahead as Isamu smiled. "Onix must've caught them off of their tracks!" Isamu said as he began to run ahead, causing everyone else to follow as they approached the evil trio!

As Team Rocket was struggling to recover, Brock called to his partner to make the finishing touch for their capture. "Nice work, Onix! Grab them, now!" Brock yelled as Onix did so, lunging towards them until James struck back with an order for Koffing!

"Koffing! Counterattack!" James yelled, forcing Koffing to do so in the process. Unfortunately, as both the Rock Type and the Poison Types tackled each other with their heads, it ended up knocking both of them out in the process! It was a double knock-out as Brock was shocked by this.

"Onix...!" Brock said in shock as Ash noticed something up ahead from the hole that Onix had created! "Look!" Ash pointed out, causing the others to see Seymour popping his head out of the hole. "It's Seymour!" Misty pointed out.

As she did so, a bunch of Clefairys from Mt. Moon began to jump out of the hole that Onix created and confront the thieves that have stolen their Moon Stone core. "Meowth! What's going on!?" Meowth shrieked as the Clefairys we're ready.

As the confrontation happened, they began to wag their fingers simultaneously! As all of them were doing so, every other human and Pokémon began to follow along with their heads waving along. "What... are they doing?" Jessie asked as James made the obvious answer.

"Waving their fingers..." James started to say until his voice began to lag a little. Meowth was the first to fall into the trance as he waved his head back and forth. "This way and that way... This way and that way..." Meowth started to say as Yellow frowned at this.

"I'm... starting to get... dizzy... What is this feeling?" Yellow asked as Seymour made the answer as his head followed along.

"This is an attack that Clefairy use called the Metronome! I've never seen the Clefairy use the Metronome before... Who knows what'll happen...?" Seymour struggled to say as it sounded like he was singing while saying it!

As he finished his explanation, all the Clefairys began to glow! As they began to glow, the ground Team Rocket was standing on began to crack, resulting in... an explosion! It blasted the evil trio and their Poison Types high into the air as they were defeated once again.

"Looks like Team Rocket..." "...is blasting off again!" Jessie started as James finished it.

"That was the Metronome?" Meowth said annoyingly as they began to complain for how much power they had to take to be sent blasting out! "I give it two thumbs down!" "Me too!" "Meowth three!" The evil trio complained as they were soon out of sight.

By the time the evil trio was out of everyone's sight, shards of the Moon Stone began to shower down as everyone looked up to see what was happening. "The Moon Stone..." Seymour started to say until the shards landed on some of the Clefairys!

As they did so, the ones that touched the Clefairys began to make it glow, causing them to change their voices, appearance, and their names! "The Clefairy... Are they...?" Luna started to say as Isamu smiled, knowing what was occurring. "Yeah... Some of them are evolving!" Isamu explained.

As the elder Ketchum brother spoke, the Clefairys that evolved cried out their new names as Ash scanned them with his Pokédex. _"Clefable, the Fairy Pokemon and the evolved form of Clefairy. These unique Pokémon are the among the rarest Pokémon in the world."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed.

"The power of the Moon Stone did this!" Seymour said in amazement as all the Clefairy and Clefable began to cheer happily for the power that the Moon Stone had given them.

Later, the Clefairy and the Clefable all managed to get their Moon Stone core back to the center a stronger they began to dance around, making their prayers once again as the group watched them dance around. While they were doing so, Seymour turned to the group with a decision in mind.

"I've decided to live here with the Clefairy!" Seymour declared, catching the group off guard as Luna was the first to ask.

"Huh? But why?" Luna asked as the scientist explained with a cheeky smile on his face. "It's beem my life's dream to find the Moon Stone. Someday, I will travel to the stars with the Clefairy!" Seymour explained as Isamu sweat dropped at that.

"Travel to the stars? You mean, you're going to head for outer space?" Isamu asked knowingly as the scientist smirked with a nod. "That's right!" Seymour agreed as this decision made both Misty and Brock impressed as Brock smiled.

"When you do get to outer space, I hope you'll remember to send us a postcard." Brock said as Yellow frowned. "How do you send a postcard from outer space...?" Yellow asked dryly as Isamu shook his head while Luna only gave a nervous smile to her two disbelieving friends.

 **The next morning...**

After spending a day at Mt. Moon, the six trainers began to head out again for the next town as Ash said his farewells to the scientist and the Clefairys. "So long, Seymour! Goodbye, Clefairy!" Ash cried out as he and the others waved back.

"Goodbye, Ash! Goodbye, Pikachu! And thank you, all!" Seymour called as he waved goodbye to the six trainers as well. As the group finished saying their farewells to the scientist, they continued their way for the next town.

While they were doing so, the group ran into a fork on the road, until they noticed a sign that showed them the right way. "This road leads to Cerulean City... Well, I guess we're headed the right way..." Brock said as Yellow noticed something else on the sign.

"What's that scribble down below?" Yellow asked as Ash and Brock took a closer look with Isamu and Luna. As Ash took a closer look at it, he widened his eyes before his temper began to get to him. "'Gary was here'... LOSER!? ARGH! THAT GARY! I'LL SHOW YOU!" Ash yelled.

He dashed ahead, leaving his elder brother and the others behind as both Isamu and Eevee sweat dropped at the little brother. "Gary, huh... That guy is at it again..." Isamu said as he ran after his little brother to give chase.

"Hey, you two! What's the hurry!?" Misty shrieked as Luna giggled before she began to follow, with Ninetales and Arcanine at her side as the three began to run ahead as Brock tended to see Luna following the Ketchum brothers. "Luna!? Hey, wait up!" Brock called out as he ran after his adoptive sister.

Misty and Yellow blinked, before they followed their four friends on the road, which would soon lead them to Cerulean City, the place where the Ketchum brothers would receive their next Gym Badge for the Indigo League.

Little did the brothers know, that they weren't traveling with just one Gym Leader, but two! And that discovery will lead them to a possible grudge match against that Leader.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

 **Vulpix: (F): (Ember, Quick Attack, Roar, Dig)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

 **Chapter 14: The Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

 **Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

 **Chapter 16: The Severe Training and Bond!?**

 **Chapter 17: The Rich Pokémon Tech School!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Misty: What!? You mean, the three of you are ALL going to Cerulean City!? But why there, of all places!?

Ash: Isn't it obvious?! It's so I can win my next Gym battle so I can get a new Gym Badge to enter the Pokémon League!

Luna: I wonder why Misty is completely against on coming here... I need to get stronger, too.

Isamu: The Cerulean Gym is all about Water Type Pokémon... Funny. That's her favorite Type...

Ash: Hey, is this really a Gym? I mean, it's more like an aquarium and a ballet show stage instead...

Isamu: If this Gym is supposed to be giving out free Badges, then this place isn't worthy of being called a Gym.

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Brock captures a Zubat


	13. The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!

**Chapter 13: The Cerulean Gym! Misty's Identity!**

"Ah... It's a great day to just enjoy the sunshine!" Ash sighed out loud in content as he stretched arms out. The elder Ketchum brother raised an eyebrow, before he gave a reminder to his little brother about the temper he had about Gary being ahead of him.

"Funny... I remember you angrily shouting that you'll show Gary when you saw that scribbled message on the sign back there. That got you completely running, little brother." Isamu said in reminder, as the little brother just gave a sheepish smile to his elder brother.

"Yeah, I guess I got that part carried away..." Ash said nervously as Luna turned to the Ketchum brothers with a question in mind.

"Do you guys mind telling me who this Gary person is? He sounds like a nasty person, with the way you're saying it, Ash..." Luna asked as she walked calmly with her two Fire Types at her side. Eevee and Vulpix were on Isamu's left and right shoulders.

"He's our rival, Luna... Ash's main rival, that is. And yeah, when you say nasty, I guess you can say it like that... Especially with the way he is right now." Isamu said with a sigh as Luna blinked in confusion. While the question was partially answered, Brock gave a reminder to the younger Ketchum brother.

"Speaking of Gary, while you're enjoying the sunshine, Gary's catching more Pokémon." Brock said in reminder, freezing the little brother in his tracks until Brock quickly changed the subject. "But, I guess a Pokémon Trainer can capture Pokémon and enjoy the sun." Brock said with a chuckle.

"Funny... I really never thought of catching Pokémon... It just sounded wrong to me once I saw some Trainers catching them in their Pokéballs..." Yellow said as the elder Ketchum brother turned to Yellow, who was holding Chuchu in her arms.

"Now that you mention it... Yellow, where do you come from? The first time Ash, Misty, and I saw you... it was when you were attacked by a swarm of Beedrills in Viridian Forest." Isamu asked as the question caused Yellow to tense a little as she bit her lips.

"Well, that's... That's something I don't want to talk about right now. But I can tell you guys later..." Yellow said nervously. The tone of her voice caught the elder brother off guard a little as he frowned at her. But before he could speak back, Misty called out to them!

"Hey! Wait a minute! Where do you all think you're going?" Misty asked as she panted from catching up. As she did so, Yellow blinked in surprise and confusion as she turned to the orange-haired girl.

"Misty, where were you? I thought you were running right behind me when Ash suddenly ran ahead." Yellow asked as Misty blinked, before she began to fidget a little, looking nervous about the question Yellow had asked as she stuttered.

"I suddenly, um... thought of... Ugh! Never mind me! Where are you all going?" Misty asked as she dodged the question. While Isamu raised an eyebrow suspiciously, Eevee cocked her head in confusion. The Evolution Pokémon also realized that Misty never answered Yellow's question.

But to Ash, he didn't seem to care much as he made his answer. "Oh, I know where we're going! We're going to Cerulean City!" Ash declared our loud, shocking Misty as she took a step back in both shock and disbelief.

"Ah! Cerulean City!? What are you and Isamu going there for!?" Misty yelped as Isamu frowned, before he folded his arms.

"Cerulean City is where the next Gym is, right? That's where Trainers normally go after they've conquered the Pewter Gym. Why, is something the matter with us going there?" Isamu asked sternly, as his tone stopped Misty in he tracks, which caused her to stutter even more.

"Um... Ash? Isamu? You two don't want Pokémon there or face the Gym Leader there! Trust me!" Misty said nervously as this caused the others to be suspicious as the little brother was the next person to ask. "Why not?" Ash asked sternly.

At that point, Misty began to explain as she started her words. "Because they're all..." Misty started to say as Luna asked along. "They're all what, Misty?" Luna asked as the two Fire Types kept a close eye on the orange-haired girl.

"Very scary Ghost Type Pokémon that looks like this! Like a monster!" Misty said freakishly as she made a monstrous face to try and scare her friends, as this only made Isamu and Luna sweat drop while Yellow watched the orange-haired blankly.

Arcanine and Ninetales were not amused by this. Eevee, Vulpix, and even Chuchu weren't fazed as they were only confused to why Misty was making such a face. Pikachu just cocked his head in confusion as Misty kept the monstrous face up. Eventually, Ash laughed at her, believing it as a joke.

"Ha ha ha! Nice face, Misty! Come on, guys." Ash laughed as he began to walk ahead again, leaving Misty to try another desperate method to prevent her friends from continuing to Cerulean City.

"Hey, HEY! Wait a second! Hey, what about Vermillion City? It's right on the water, and there are lots of neat Pokémon, and you can watch all the giant yachts pulling into the harbor! And, there's a little park way up on a hill where you can sit and watch the sunset that's so romantic!" Misty said happily.

Isamu frowned, as he gave a look to both Eevee and Vulpix. While the young Fox Pokémon was confused as to what Misty was trying to say, the Evolution Pokémon was a little suspicious from the details the orange-haired girl was giving.

"It's much nicer than that old Cerulean City! So, let's get going!" Misty finished as she tried to convince Ash from going there. The little brother frowned a little, before he smiled, as if he was agreeing to go along with Misty's plan!

"Okay! Let's go!" Ash said as Misty clapped her hands together, feeling hopeful. "Really?" Misty started to say until Isamu made the answer by walking ahead. "We're going to Cerulean City. Vermillion City is a bit far for us to go to right now." Isamu said sternly.

He walked ahead, while causing the orange-haired girl to fall over, as she soon realized that her plan failed, seeing as how Ash, Luna, and Brock were following the elder Ketchum brother. Yellow only gave her an apologetic smile before she followed the others.

"You said there's a Gym in Cerulean City, right bro? I've got to get more Trainer Badges!" Ash said as the elder brother smiled at how determined his little brother was. "You're not the only one, Ash. I'm on the same level as you so I need to get more Badges as well." Isamu said softly.

While the Ketchum brothers were chatting about becoming stronger with the Gym Badges they could earn, Luna watched the two talk it out as she clenched her fists, which Arcanine noticed as the evolved Fire Type looked up at her in concern.

"Arc?" Arcanine growled softly as Luna smiled down at her partner, before reassuring to him that he was alright. "I'm fine, Arcanine. It's just... after seeing those two speak it out, I feel like I want to take part on what they're doing..." Luna explained as Brock and Yellow managed to hear her.

"Take part? You mean, with their Gym Battles?" Yellow asked as Luna nodded in affirmation.

"Mm hm! I realize that, in order to get rid of my past fears and wounds, I have to become stronger! And that points to me entering the Pokémon League." Luna explained as Brock tensed a little, before he gave a small smile to his adopted sister.

"So... I guess this means you're going to have to battle me sometime when you want to win my Badge, huh?" Brock asked as Luna gave a sweet smile to her adoptive brother, before showing her determination.

"Right! And I'm going to win your Badge, with the help from both Ninetales and Arcanine... That is, if the two of you want to..." Luna said before she turned to her two Fire Type partners. "Arc!" "Nine!" They cried out, as if they were agreeing to help Luna achieve her new dream.

"Thank you... Both of you..." Luna said happily as she continued to walk on, following behind the Ketchum brothers. Her real journey was about to start, with her first challenge as a Trainer starting off at the Cerulean City Gym.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

(Luna and Yellow joins in with the two)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The six run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, Luna, Yellow, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock, Luna, Yellow, and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

Soon, Isamu, Ash, Luna, Brock, and Yellow all arrived to the city they wanted to go to as Ash smiled. "So, this is Cerulean City..." Ash said as Brock nodded, before he looked around. "Pretty nice place, isn't it?" Brock asked as Yellow agreed as she gave a sigh of content.

"It feels nice to be at a town again, even though our trip past the Mt. Moon was short..." Yellow admitted, as Chuchu cried out in agreement from her arms. While Ash, Brock, and Yellow were mesmerized with the new town they were in, Luna turned to see who was missing.

"Um, guys? Is it just me, or is Misty not around with us anymore?" Luna asked, catching everyone's attention as they all noticed that the orange-haired girl was missing as Pikachu sighed, feeling depressed that a good friend wasn't around anymore.

"You're right... She's not following us anymore..." Ash agreed as Brock gave a chuckle, remembering on how dead set Misty was for not wanting to come to the city. "She really didn't want to come to Cerulean City, did she?" Brock asked as Isamu folded his arms.

"Well, if you ask me... I think it's sort of fishy... I mean, this town's Gym specializes in Water Type Pokémon. I thought she would've want to come here, since that's the type she likes the most..." Isamu said sternly as Eevee frowned. "Eevee Eev..." Eevee said in agreement.

"It IS fishy... I wonder why she hates this place so much..." Ash said as the others looked back while Brock tried to think of a reason why the orange-haired girl didn't want to come here. Before either Isamu or Luna's could come up an answer, Ash gave a small shrug.

"Eh... We'll never figure out girls." Ash said bluntly, as this caused both Yellow and Luna to snap. The two glared at the younger Ketchum brother fiercely, causing Ash to widen his eyes and fall back. "Watch where you're saying those things, Ash..." Yellow said dangerously.

"Right... In case you hadn't noticed, we're girls too, just like with Misty." Luna said dangerously. The sudden tone and expression change startled both Isamu and Brock, as they've never seen them dangerously like this.

Arcanine and Ninetales on the other hand, sighed at the foolish mistake the human boy had made with their human girl. "Easy, girls. Let him off the hook for now, please." Isamu said nervously, as this allowed both girls to calm down, allowing them to be back to normal.

"Fine..." "Alright..."

By the time the girls were calm again, the five trainers continued to walk around Cerulean City, until they witnessed some people crowding around a large store, where there were police around! "The police? Wonder what happened?" Ash asked as Isamu frowned.

"Must be a robbery..." Isamu said sternly as the five all ran to where the scene of the crime was as they ran up to see the police trying to get the people to back away. Luna turned to a man besides her as she tried to ask.

"Excuse me, but do you know what happened here?" Luna asked as the man sighed before he explained. "Some burglars broke into that store last night." The man said as Yellow blinked in surprise. "Burglars...?" She repeated, until a familiar voice called to them.

"What do you know about burglars?" A woman asked as the five all turned to see Officer Jenny standing right in front of them with a suspicious look on her face. "The five of you all look very suspicious to me..." Officer Jenny said as Ash cried out in surprise.

"Hey, you're that motorcycle officer from Viridian!" Ash exclaimed, catching the officer by surprise before she corrected him.

"Huh? Ah, you must've met my sister-in-law! If you know my sister-in-law, that means you probably had some dealings with the police in Viridian." Officer Jenny said with a stern tone as Isamu raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Dealings...? Is that supposed to make us look or sound like criminals?" Isamu asked, with his left eyebrow twitching. The officer began to think, before she made some guesses on what the younger Ketchum brother did with her sister-in-law.

"Maybe... Maybe you just stopped to ask her for directions, or maybe you found a wallet on the street and turned it in to her... Or maybe you're burglar who broke out of jail!" Officer Jenny started to say before her tone got louder! At the last guess, she took out a pair of handcuffs!

Yellow shrieked at the sight of it all of a sudden. Luna just froze in shock, causing Arcanine and Ninetales to growl at the officer while Ash and Brock stuttered to try and correct her. Isamu on the other hand, just sweat dropped with the wrong assumptions she was making.

"I've never been to jail!" Ash yelped as Brock tried to reassure her as well. "Neither have I, ma'am!" Brock said as the officer just scoffed at the protests. "That's what they all say!" Officer Jenny smirked as Isamu stepped up, defending his brother with a stern look on his face.

"If you're going to make wrong assumptions like that, Officer... Then maybe this can show proof that we're not who you think we are..." Isamu said as he took out his Pokédex, allowing Dexter to clear the misunderstanding.

 _"I'm Dexter. A Pokédex Program by Professor Oak for Pokemon Trainer Isamu Ketchum."_ The Pokédex buzzed as Ash took out his to show proof as well. Brock showed his proof by taking out the Boulder Badge and proving that Luna was innocent as well.

"Yeah, and I was the Leader of the Pewter City Gym! And the girl with the Arcanine and Ninetales is my adoptive sister! Her two Pokémon can be a bit protective of her when something bad is about to happen to her." Brock explained as he pulled Luna to his side.

The officer noticed the two Fire Types giving her the dirty look as she gave a glance at Luna. "In that case, young lady... Why are both of your Pokémon outside and not in their Pokéballs? There's a chance you could've stolen them or..." Officer Jenny started to say until Luna snapped.

"I'M NOT A THIEF! THEY'RE MY PARTNERS AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO STAY IN POKÉBALLS!" Luna snapped, shocking the others and the officer. Some other people heard her yell as they were stalked by the sudden cry as Luna panted for the yelling she had done just now.

"I-I see..." Officer Jenny said nervously, before she frowned as she put away her handcuffs, apologizing for her rash actions. "I'm sorry I was suspicious. Now I'm suspicious of my sister-in-law. She sure has weird taste in friends." Officer Jenny said softly before she sighed.

Isamu and Ash helped Luna breathe regularly as the young girl took deep breathes before she was back to her old self.

"Feel better?" Isamu asked as Luna nodded weakly. "Mm hm..." was the only thing she could say as she turned to see her two Fire Types looking at her in concern. Slumping to the ground, she hugged her two Fire Types, allowing them to comfort her as she smiled.

"I'm alright now..." Luna said weakly as Ash, Isamu, and Yellow all smiled at her in relief. But by the time the young girl recovered from her recent shouting, Brock turned to the officer with a goofy look on his face.

"Um, miss? I was wondering, since I'm new in town... Maybe we could get together tonight and you could show me around!" Brock started to ask as Luna pouted. Having a tick formed on her forehead as she huffed, she turned away from her adoptive brother.

"Argh! That brother of mine! There goes his dumb habits..." Luna grumbled, causing Yellow to blink in confusion as she asked.

"Habit...?" Yellow asked as the young girl explained. "Whenever Brock meets a woman older than him, he wastes no time flirting with her, unless she's a bit bitter to his mouth." Luna said annoyingly as the officer declined the offer the kanto breeder was asking for.

"Well, I'm not off duty until past your bedtime, and I may even have to work around the clock to catch these burglars." Officer Jenny said bluntly, crushing Brock's hopes while Ash gave a sheepish look to his older friend.

The elder Ketchum brother turned to her, a serious question in mind. "What did they steal?" Isamu asked as Eevee raised her ears, as she was curious about the subject as well. "That's the strange thing about it. They didn't take any money... Just a massive vacuum and a giant hose." Officer Jenny explained.

That left the younger Ketchum brother bewildered while leaving Yellow confused.

"A vacuum and a hose? But why would the burglars want something like that?" Yellow asked as the officer sighed before she tried to shoo the group away.

"I'm sure I don't know, young lady, but I do know that I don't have time to play guessing games with you, because I've got a job to do, and it's time for you five to move along." Officer Jenny said, as she pushed the five trainers away from the scene of the crime.

As she managed to do so, she tried to get the people to move along as the investigation needed to continue on. "Alright, everybody! The show's over! Nothing to see here! Break it up, break it up!" The officer called out, taking her work seriously.

With thaf said, the five trainers headed to a small park where the girls sat on the bench, with Ash sitting at one end, and with Brock sitting on the other, leaving Isamu to just stand and think of what to do next. "Good thing the two of us had Dexter, and you two were together..." Ash said nervously.

"Yeah..." "You're right..." Brock and Luna agreed as Isamu folded his arms, remembering of what the officer said about the burglars stealing a vacuum and a hose.

 _"A hose could be related to water, while a vacuum could be used for sucking things or ejecting things... But what?"_ Isamu thought as his thoughts interrupted by Eevee nudging his left cheek. "Vee? Eevee?" Eevee asked as Isamu turned to his partner with a small smile on his face.

"I'm fine, Eevee... I'm just thinking about the burglars, that's all." Isamu said, causing Eevee to blink for a moment before she slowly nodded in understanding. Vulpix just yawned, feeling bored of her Trainer and human sister walking around as Luna noticed that.

"Hee hee... Looks like someone's tired after the riding she had to do on someone's shoulder." Luna giggled as Vulpix smiled weakly at her human sister, while the elder brother frowned. "You ride and you're tired? That's weird..." Isamu said bluntly as he took out Vulpix's Pokéball.

"Get some rest, Vulpix. I'll call you out when your parents want you to again." Isamu said as the young Fire Type was returned to her Pokéball. As he did so, the Kanto Breeder gave a reminder to Ash, Isamu, and Luna about the Gym challenge they should be facing right now.

"Shouldn't you three all heading for the Cerulean City Gym?" Brock asked as Ash turned to his friend, before nodding.

"Yeah... Wait, three? Isn't it just me and big bro here that's battling the Gym Leader?" Ash asked as the young girl smiled, before she confessed on her desire to compete in the Gym Battles.

"Actually Ash, I'll be participating in Gym Battles from now on." Luna said, catching both Isamu and Ash by surprise as the younger Ketchum brother was the first to ask. "Huh? But why?" Ash asked as Luna began to explain her reason for wanting to do so.

"I've decided to get stronger after seeing both you and Isamu think about your dreams. When I saw the two of you having the determination to press on and fight your next challenge, it made me start to feel determined as well... Determined to become even stronger." Luna explained.

The explanation left smiles on both Isamu and Ash's face as the brothers nodded to each other, before the elder brother spoke of his approval for Luna's decision. "That's a good reason and dream to have, Luna... Welcome aboard, then." Isamu said, causing the young girl to smile.

"Thanks, you two..." Luna said softly as Ash turned to the Rock Type user with an important question in mind. "Hey Brock... You got any inside info on the Gym Trainer there?" Ash asked, causing Brock to be confused as the younger brother laughed a little.

"Ha Ha... I just want to find out as much as I can about him before we have our match! 'Know yourself, know your adversary, and you hold the key to victory'." Ash explained as Isamu raised an eyebrow for what his brother said.

"Those are some wise words. Did you get that from Dexter?" Isamu asked as the little brother grinned, before he nodded in affirmation. "Yep! He spoke those words while we were coming here!" Ash explained as Brock folded his arms, before he looked up to think and remember.

"Well, I never actually met the trainer here, but I know his Pokémon's special moves..." Brock started to say, causing both Ash and Luna's curiosity to grow a little. "Really, Brock? What is that special move?" Luna asked as the Rock Type user chuckled.

"I'm sorry, Luna. But I can't give you that information." Brock said, causing Ash to frown at his response. "Why not?" Ash asked as Brock spoke again, answering Ash's question this time.

"I'm a Gym Leader too, after all. I can't tell you all out of respect. You understand?" Brock asked as the little brother frowned before he gave a reluctant nod. Luna nodded as well, before she gave a weak smile to her two Fire Types, as they seemed ready to battle, no matter who it was.

"Well, I know something about the Gym Leader. I said this before when arrived here, but... The Gym Leader specializes in Water Type Pokémon, so we need Pokémon that are Grass or Electric Types." Isamu explained, causing Ash to grin as he turned to his Electric Type partner.

"Water Types, huh? Then this would be a perfect match for you to win at, Pikachu!" Ash said, causing Pikachu to nod with burning looks in his eyes. "Pika Pika!" Pikachu agreed while Luna frowned.

"I guess I have a problem, then... Both of you are Fire Types. If we're going up against a Gym Leader that uses Water Types, then it'll be a tough match that we're going against..." Luna said nervously, as her two Fire Types frowned, both knowing what Luna meant.

"I don't think you'll need to worry about the Types advantages or disadvantages, Luna." Isamu said reassuringly, causing Luna to turn to the elder Ketchum brother in confusion. "What do you mean, Isamu?" Luna asked, allowing Isamu to speak.

"Since both Arcanine and Ninetales look strong, especially since the amount of years that passed, I'm sure that the two of them would be strong enough to handle any challenges right now, especially when they're going against Water Types. Have faith in them, and they'll help you greatly." Isamu advised.

The advice left Luna thinking before she smiled. "I'll keep that in mind, Isamu. Thank you." Luna said with a small blush, as Brock noticed her blushing, causing the Rock Type user to look back at Isamu, before he gave another glance at his adopted sister.

 **Later...**

With the decision made and done, the five trainers began to move again as Brock was about to part with the group. "Well, I have some stuff I need to check out." Brock explained as Ash cocked his head in confusion. "What stuff?" Ash asked.

"Just... stuff. See ya later." Brock said as he took his leave, leaving the four to be alone until Yellow began to part with the group as well. "I need to head to the Pokémon Center. After all that walking, I'd like to take a break there with Chuchu. Would that be alright to you, guys?" Yellow asked.

"That's fine. We'll meet you later once we're done with our Gym challenge." Isamu said, earning a nod from Yellow as she took her leave with Chuchu in her arms. "Alright then, guys! Let's get going! To the Cerulean Gym!" Ash cried out, lifting his fist in the air.

Isamu gave a sheepish smile before he followed along, causing Luna to follow along as well.

"Yeah..." "Yeah!" The two spoke together as Eevee, Arcanine, and Ninetales cried out their determination to defeat the Leader.

So, with that decision made, the three of them began to head for the Cerulean Gym, with Ash carrying the map and speaking the directions. "Cerulean City Gym... Cerulean City Gym... Should be right around here someplace..." Ash said as he walked to where the directions were taking him.

As the three walked, Luna spotted a building up ahead as she smiled. "Could that be it? It's labeled the Cerulean Gym there." Luna pointed out as she pointed to a building that head a Dewgong symbol on it. "Yeah... That has to be it." Isamu said as the three headed over there.

By the time they got in, the three Trainers were surprised to see a large group of crowd watching something, which seemed to be some sort of show! As the three watched, an announcer announced the stars of the show that was about to occur.

 _"Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the star of our show: The Sensational Cerulean City Synchronized Swimming Sisters!"_ The announcer called out as the crowd cheered for the stars that were about come out.

Both Ash and Luna widened their eyes in surprise while the elder Ketchum brother watched with an eyebrow raised. As the three watched together, the lights were shining down onto the three girls that seemed to be the stars of the show!

Their names were called out one by one, each from one of the people watching the show.

"Lily! Daisy! Violet!"

The crowd were cheering loudly for the trio as Ash, Isamu, and Luna all watched to see the three sisters dove into the pool to show their skills as synchronized swimmers. While the show was going on elegantly, Ash frowned a little.

He wasn't interested in the show, but was more interested for the Gym Battle he was supposed to have, until this came up.

"But I... I thought this was the Pokémon Gym..." Ash said in confusion as Luna made a guess on what this also was.

"Maybe it's not just a Gym, but a swimming show. I mean, the outside did say this was the Gym, but what we're seeing right now isn't about a Pokémon battle, but synchronized swimmers... Like those three down there." Luna reminded as Isamu folded his arms.

While the show seemed nice and beautiful, they had other important things to do than just watch the show go on as he sighed. "Let's go meet them once the show is over. Maybe they can tell us who the Gym Leader is when this is done." Isamu said as he began to walk out.

"Wait up, Isamu!" Luna cried as she ran after the elder Ketchum brother, with Arcanine and Ninetales following. For Ash, the younger Ketchum brother was still bewildered for what the Gym had as Pikachu seemed attracted for what the girls were showing!

By the time the short swimming show was over, Ash had to rush down and join up with his brother and Luna to catch up to them as he was the first to express his confusion. "I can't understand it..." Ash grumbled as the three headed down the stairs.

As the three made it down, the three all widened their eyes in surprise as they looked around to see that the hallway was like an aquarium, which Luna seemed to notice. "Wow... Look at this... So many Water Type Pokémon..." Luna said in amazement as Isamu smiled along.

"Yeah, but... It's like an aquarium... How can this be a Pokémon Gym?" Ash asked as Isamu looked back at his still disappointed little brother. But before he could comfort him, voices were coming from down the hallway as the three Trainers turned to see the three sisters walking towards them!

"The crowd was totally awesome!" The pink-haired girl said happily as the violet-haired one agreed with a nod.

"I know... That was so great! Daisy, the dive you did was super!" The violet-haired girl said, before she complimented her light-orange haired girl, as the girl named Daisy smiled, before explaining the reason for her "super dive".

"The practice really paid off." Daisy said bluntly, causing the pink-haired girl to agree. "Totally." was all she needed to say to make her sisters and herself to laugh until Ash, Isamu, and Luna approached the three of them.

"Excuse me? Do you-" Luna started to say until the sisters noticed them, causing them to make assumptions on what they wanted to do with them. "I'm sorry, but if you want an interview, you have to like, call our manager." The pink-haired girl said with a frown.

"No, it's not that..." Ash started to say, until the violet-haired girl interrupted him this time. "We don't do autographs." She said bluntly until Isamu made the correction to the three of them.

"We're not here for any interviews or for any autographs. All we want to know, that the building we're in right now... Is this the Cerulean Gym?" Isamu asked as Daisy made the answer. "It sure is." Daisy said as the younger Ketchum brother and the young girl blinked, before Luna asked.

"In that case, do you know who's the Leader of this place?" Luna asked as the violet-haired girl smiled.

"You're looking at them!" The violet-haired girl said with a giggle, stopping the three Trainers from their tracks, allowing the three sisters introduced themselves as the Gym Leaders of the Cerulean City Gym.

"The three of us are the Gym Leaders here." Daisy said with a smile as the pink-haired continue on.

"We're the Sensational Sisters!" The pink-haired girl said proudly, allowing the violet-haired to finish their introduction. "We're world famous!" The violet-haired girl called out, leaving Ash to be bewildered while leaving both Isamu and Luna to be surprised at this declaration.

"Huh? But what's with all that swimming?" Ash asked as the pink-haired explained. "It's like, our hobby! And our fans love to watch us perform!" The pink-haired girl explained as Luna smiled in understanding.

"I see... I guess I can see on how much the three of you were enjoying the synchronized swimming... You three looked happy out there while you were doing it." Luna said softly as Daisy nodded with affirmation.

"You're right about that, young lady!" Daisy said as the violet-haired bragged about their talents together. "We pool our talents to make a big splash!" The violet-haired giggled as the three began to laugh together, causing Ash and Pikachu to nearly fall over.

Luna just gave a nervous smile while Arcanine and Ninetales just looked at each other with unsure, but bitter looks on their faces. Isamu on the other hand, just sweat-dropped at their brag of talents while Eevee gave a sheepish smile to the three girls.

With the misunderstanding all cleared up, the six all headed up to where the pool was to have their Gym Battle, as the three challengers faced the three Gym Leaders. The violet-haired introduced herself as Violet, while the pink-haired introduced herself as Lily.

For the younger brother, he was more than pumped as he declared a challenge with him and his two comrades against the three Sensational Sisters.

"Come on! The three of us challenge the three of you!" Ash declared as Pikachu sparked his cheeks, showing that he was ready. But to his surprise alongside worh Isamu and Luna, the three sisters didn't look ready as they looked at each other nervously, before Daisy spilled the beans.

"We don't feel much like battling anymore." Daisy explained, surprising both Ash and Luna while making the elder Ketchum brother confused. "Don't feel like? And why's that?" Isamu asked as Violet explained their reason.

"We just got beaten three time since in a row by kids from this nowhere place called Pallet Town." Violet explained, causing Isamu to blink in realization while Ash slumped down in annoyance, as he really felt behind now. "Not again..." Ash groaned as Isamu sighed.

"Looks like Gary and the other two got past here... That would explain the scribbled message from before..." Isamu sighed as Eevee and Pikachu sweat dropped as well. "It was just one defeat after another... My eyes were spinning from all the losses." Violet spoke with a sigh.

The losses began to bring back bad memories as Daisy confessed of where their Pokémon were at the moment. "We had to, like, practically rush all our Pokémon to the Pokémon Center." Daisy added as Lily took out a Pokéball, confessing this was the only one left in the Gym.

"This is our last one..." Lily said as she sent it out, only for the Pokémon to reveal itself... as a Goldeen! It struggled on the floor as Isamu stared blankly at it, disbelieving this as Arcanine and Ninetales only watched the small Water Type with pity.

"You mean, all you have left is that Goldeen!?" Ash exclaimed in disbelief as Violet smiled nervously, while Lily returned the Water Type back. "If it would evolve into a Seaking, we could use it. But all it can do now is its Horn Attack." Violet explained.

"So, there's like no point in battling..." Daisy said sheepishly, allowing Lily to explain the best parts for not being able to battle. "Now, instead of having matches, we have time to make ourselves look more beautiful than ever!" Lily said ecstatically.

Luna frowned at this. She was hoping to have a challenging Gym match against the Gym Leader. But due to their Pokémon recovering and with them only having Goldeen as their battling Pokémon, it would be as Daisy said.

"No point in battling, huh... That's a disappointment..." Luna said sadly as Isamu folded his arms with a sigh. As Ash was about to speak, Daisy smiled at the younger brother, making another assumption on what he wanted. "I know what you want." Daisy said as she clapped her hands several times.

"Seel!" Daisy called as a seal-like Pokémon came out of the pool, sticking its tongue out to have three Cascade Badges! The three challengers widened their eyes in surprise as Daisy presented the three with the Cascade Badges.

"The Cascade Badges... These are what the three of you want, right? Take it." Daisy said, as she offered the Badge freely, causing Isamu to frown while leaving Luna unsure as Ash began to feel the same way as the other two.

"Thanks... I'd rather earn my Badges..." Ash said hesitantly as Daisy smiled at him. "Take it. A Badge is a Badge." Daisy said, until Isamu stepped in front of his brother, catching everyone by surprise as the elder Ketchum brother spoke.

"We appreciate your offer, but... It's like what Ash said. In order to get the Gym Badge from the Gym Leader, you have to earn those Badges in battle... There should be more of you here, right? Someone that likes to battle?" Isamu asked as Daisy blinked, before she frowned.

"Well, we do have another sister, but she's out on a Pokémon journey." Daisy said, allowing her two sisters to continue on.

"That's right... She left, saying that she could become the best Water Type Pokémon Trainer, leaving the three of us to take care of the Gym, making us very busy..." Violet said in annoyance as Lily nodded in agreement.

"Maybe if she was here, then maybe she could be your opponent, but..." Lily started to say, until Daisy finished it for her.

"She's not here, which means none of us can battle against the three of you." Daisy finished until a familiar voice snapped at her!

"Hold it right there!" Misty cried out, catching everyone's attention! Ash and Luna both widened their eyes to see their old companion above them at the seats! Isamu turned and frowned, realizing that the sisters were referring to her as the fourth sister.

"Misty!?" Ash exclaimed while Pikachu smiled happily to see a good friend again. "Hiyah!" Misty cried out as she landed near her sisters and her companions as she glared at Daisy for her incompetence as a Gym Leader.

"Alright, Daisy! If you don't want to battle the three of them, I will!" Misty cried out, as Luna widened her eyes.

"Misty...? You're the battling trainer they were talking about!?" Luna asked in disbelief as Misty glared at her and the Ketchum brothers.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

 **Vulpix: (F): (Ember, Quick Attack, Roar, Dig)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 14: A Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

 **Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

 **Chapter 16: The Severe Training and Bond!?**

 **Chapter 17: The Rich Pokémon Tech School!**

 **Chapter 18: The Proof of the Trainer's Skills!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Misty: All right, you three! If all of you want that Cascade Badge, you all have to beat me, one at a time!

Ash: Oh man... Who would've thought Misty was a Gym Leader... And here, out of all places?

Luna: That could only explain why she didn't want to come here, because of her older sisters...

Isamu: The youngest is the strongest, huh... I don't see how that's really amazing, to be honest...

Daisy: Now, let's see whether Misty has grown better than last time... Huh!? Wait, what's that!?

Ash: Oh, come on! Not you guys again! We're in a middle of an important Pokémon Gym Match!

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Luna decides to enter the Pokémon League to become stronger

\- Ash, Isamu, and Luna meets Daisy, Lily, and Violet

\- The group discovers that Misty is the Cerulean City Gym Leader


	14. The Wet Water Battle Chaos!

**Chapter 14: The Wet Water Battle Chaos!**

Last time on "Pokémon Kanto Journey", as the six trainers were continuing on their way to the next city where Ash and Isamu's second Kanto Gym Battle will be, they were stopped by Misty, who apparently didn't want to head to Cerulean City for some reason.

But as the Ketchum brothers refused her suggestion to head for Vermillion City instead, Luna made a decision to participate in the Indigo League Tournament to forget about her tragic past, with the help of Arcanine and Ninetales together.

But as the group got there without Misty, the five trainers met with the Officer Jenny of Cerulean City, who explains about a giant hose and vacuum being stolen from the store by a group of burglars, leaving many questions to the group's mind.

But as Luna told her decision to the Ketchum brothers about her goal, they both accepted the idea. With that agreed, the three parted with Brock and Yellow, allowing them to head for the Gym.

But as Isamu, Luna, and Ash all got there, they headed inside, only for the three to discover that there was a synchronized swimming show, leaving puzzled minds to both Ash and Luna.

As the show was over, the three meets the trio that are the Gym Leaders of the Cerulean Gym: Daisy, Lily, and Violet. But as they explained about their multiple defeats from Gary and the other Pallet Town Trainers, Misty suddenly comes by angrily to challenge her three challengers for their Gym Match!

Now the three challengers will have to see whether the three of them are all worthy enough to obtain the Cascade Badge in a Gym Battle against their tomboyish companion.

* * *

"Hold it right there!" Misty cried out, catching everyone's attention! Ash and Luna both widened their eyes to see their companion above them at the seats! Isamu turned and frowned, realizing that the sisters were referring to her as the fourth sister.

"Misty!?" Ash exclaimed while Pikachu smiled happily to see a good friend again.

"Hiyah!" Misty cried out as she landed near her sisters and her companions as she glared at Daisy for her incompetence as one of the Gym Leaders.

"Alright, Daisy! If you don't want to battle the three of them, I will!" Misty cried out, as Luna widened her eyes.

"Misty...? You're the battling trainer they were talking about!?" Luna asked in disbelief as Misty glared at her and the Ketchum brothers. Isamu only narrowed his eyes while Ash remained bewildered before he turned to his elder brother for an answer.

"Misty's the battling Trainer? Big bro... What do you think Luna's talking about?" Ash asked as Isamu began to answer, until Misty gave a confident smirk before introducing herself truly to the three challengers.

"What she means, Ash... is that I'm a Cerulean City Trainer, too!" Misty explained, catching both Ash and Pikachu by surprise as the tomboyish girl turned to her three companions with her small title.

"I'm the fourth Sensational Sister!" Misty explained, catching Luna and Isamu by surprise until Lily "corrected" her with a not impressed expression on her face.

"There's only three Sensational Sisters and one runt..." Lily said bluntly, irritating Misty as she glared at her elder sister. With her arrival, the three Sensational Sisters all faced their little sister, reminding and asking of why she came back to the Gym.

"So, little sister... It's a surprise to see you back so soon." Daisy said with a small smile as Violet smirked.

"That little girl with a loud mouth who said she wouldn't come back until she was a great Pokémon Trainer! Wasn't that you?" Violet asked teasingly, causing Misty to blink before she turned away from her sisters with an embarrassed look.

"Huh? I... guess I did say something like that when I left..." Misty said nervously, causing Isamu to fold her arms as he and Luna stood besides Ash with knowing looks on their faces.

"I guess we finally know why she was completely against coming to Cerulean City..." Isamu said as Eevee frowned.

"I guess I can understand on why she didn't want to come back here now, but why didn't she tell us the real reason why?" Luna asked as Ash scoffed, coming to a conclusion on why Misty didn't say anything about her being a Gym Leader.

"Probably because she's still mad about me for ruining her bike... Is she ever going to let that go?" Ash grumbled, enough to let his brother and Luna hear. By the time the three were done whispering to each other, Lily began to poke fun at Misty this time with a bragging tone.

"Misty... You left here, pretending to be you want to become a Pokémon Trainer because you couldn't compare with us. Because we're obviously much more talented and beautiful than you are!" Lily said, irritating Misty even more as Ash blinked in surprise.

"Uh oh..." was the only thing Ash could say as Misty snapped at her sister for coming to the wrong conclusion.

"That wasn't the reason!" Misty snapped as Daisy sighed.

"Well then, I guess like, you came back because you couldn't make it as a Pokémon Trainer..." Daisy said as Arcanine and Ninetales looked at each other with blank looks on their faces. From how the things are, this situation seemed to look like it won't end soon.

"It wasn't my idea to come back here! The only reason I'm here, is because those three wanted to come!" Misty complained, before she pointed to the Ketchum brothers and Luna, causing Ash and Isamu to glare back at the orange-haired girl while Luna frowned at the pointing.

"Well... For the boys, they wouldn't be someone I'd choose for boyfriends, but you're no prize yourself!" Daisy giggled, causing Ash to fall over while leaving Isamu step back with a stunned expression on his face.

"MY BOYFRIENDS!? Argh! If I battle them and Luna, that'll prove that I'm not a quitter and I'm just as good as a Trainer as you three!" Misty snapped as Daisy gave a sheepish smile, understanding the situation she was in right now.

"Well... You are the only one of us with a Pokémon that can actually battle..." Daisy admitted as Misty stepped up to the three, pointing at the brothers and Luna, challenging her three challengers to a battle.

"Alright, you three! Are you all ready to rumble!?" Misty snapped out loud, catching both Ash and Luna by surprise. Isamu on the other hand, raised an eyebrow as he turned to Eevee, who shook her head with a small sigh.

The elder brother looked back at the tomboyish companion of theirs and began to realize that his second Gym Battle won't take as long as he had with his battle against Brock.

 **Later...**

With the order settled, Luna was to go first against Misty as she faced off her Water Type user friend in the Water battlefield, where her first Gym Battle would begin. Ninetales and Arcanine stood besides her as Misty explained the rules.

"Considering that this is your first Gym Battle, Luna... I hope you're ready to get what's coming to you in this match! Just because we're friends doesn't mean I'll go easy on you!" Misty cried out loudly, causing Luna to smile back, before she nodded in understanding.

"If this were to be easy, then this battle would be pointless... After all, I never got to see you battle, Misty." Luna said as Ash and Isamu watched from the sidelines with the three sisters.

"Aw... Why does Luna get to go first?" Ash groaned as Isamu patted him on the back with a sheepish smile.

"Remember, Ash... This is her first Gym Battle... And besides, remember anything about ladies taking the first shot?" Isamu asked as Ash looked at his elder brother with a confused look before he narrowed his eyes.

"You seem to care about girls a lot, don't you, big bro?" Ash asked teasingly, causing Isamu to raise an eyebrow at Ash, as Eevee only sweat dropped. She knows that's not what Isamu meant to say, yet Ash seemed to be seeing that way.

Her human brother was letting Luna go because like Isamu said... this was Luna's first time in a Gym Battle. And not only that, Isamu also wanted to see how strong her battling skills was when she was with Arcanine and Ninetales. He had no ulterior motive as to why he was doing this.

Back to the battle, Luna got ready to fight as she made a simple question for the number of Pokémon the two of them will use for the match.

"So... How many Pokémon for this battle, Misty?" Luna asked as Misty smiled, before she gave an answer.

"Two against two works for me!" Misty answered, earning a nod from her first challenger as Luna turned to Arcanine.

"Arcanine? Will you do the honors of going first in this match?" Luna asked, earning a small smile and growl from Arcanine before he nodded as he leapt onto the platform on the Water battlefield as Misty frowned.

 _"Arcanine...? But Arcanine's a Fire Type Pokémon. Even if she doesn't have any other Pokémon to use other than Ninetales, she should know Arcanine won't be a match against my Water Types."_ Misty thought as she took out a Pokéball, so one of them could confront Arcanine.

"Okay! Misty calls Staryu!" Misty cried out as she sent out a Pokémon that looked like a giant starfish with a shiny pearl or gem on the center of its body. Ash blinked as he took out his Pokédex to scan the Water Type.

 _"Staryu. The Star Shape Pokémon. The core of this Water_ _Pokémon shines in a rainbow of seven colors, a core that is valued by some as a type of jewelry."_ Ash's Pokédex buzzed, causing the younger brother to frown at this.

"Oh wow... Leave it to a girl to show off her jewelry..." Ash grumbled, earning a glare from the tomboyish Gym Leader.

"HEY! I heard that!" Misty snapped, causing Ash to flinch a little while stepping back.

 **Luna: Arcanine + 1 VS Misty: Staryu + 1**

"You ready, Luna! Because I'm ready when you are! You can make the first move!" Misty called out, turning her attention back to her first challenger.

"It'll be my pleasure, Misty... Arcanine, let's start this match with Flamethrower!" Luna called out, allowing Arcanine to do so as he shot flames at the Star Shape Pokémon, as Misty tried to counter back.

"We can counter that easily! Staryu, use your Water Gun attack!" Misty called back. At the order, Staryu shot a stream of water towards the Flamethrower. But to Misty's surprise, the Water Gun attack was pushed back when it collided with the Flamethrower attack!

The Fire Type attack knocked Staryu away, catching the tomboyish Gym Leader by surprise.

"Oh no, Staryu! How could a Water Type attack like Water Gun lose to a Fire Type attack like Flamethrower!?" Misty gasped as her sisters just giggled to see their youngest sister taking the first hit in the match.

"She's got a point, bro... What's the deal with that?" Ash asked as Isamu explained while folding his arms.

"She was right about the Type advantage... But she seemed to have forgotten that Arcanine is on a completely different level than Staryu, which led Misty to be overconfident with the fact that made her believe Staryu is stronger than the Fire Type Arcanine." Isamu explained.

Ash widened his eyes at that before he turned back to the match to see Staryu staggering back a little from the direct hit it had taken from the Flamethrower attack. Misty on the other hand, wasn't planning to let this match go on so easily.

"Staryu, stay strong! Use Swift to pay him back!" Misty cried out as Staryu shot stars to knock Arcanine, until Luna countered with another one of her attacks.

"Flame Wheel, Arcanine!" Luna cried out, allowing Arcanine to surround himself with flames and negate Swift, catching Misty by surprise again, while amazing both Ash and Isamu at the same time. Even Pikachu and Eevee were impressed by this display.

"It's another Fire Type attack... Staryu, spin with Tackle! We can't lose this match that easily!" Misty cried out as Isamu widened his eyes, before he shook his head with an annoyed look.

"Is she kidding? She should know that Arcanine's Flame Wheel attack will be more stronger than Staryu's head-on Tackle attack!" Isamu snapped annoyingly while the sisters just watched in amusement, seeing how their little sister was faring against her challenger.

"She's having trouble even against a Pokémon with a Type disadvantage? Looks like Misty's gotten rusty in her travels..." Violet said as Lily agreed with a small smile on her face.

"Yeah... But I guess she's doing... not so bad, since her Pokémon seemed to be taking the attacks well." Lily spoke as the brothers continued watching. Ash frowned, before he gave a glance at his elder brother.

"How long do you this is gonna go, bro?" Ash asked as Isamu shook his head.

"It probably won't take long if Misty keeps the defensive side up... Looks like Luna will be taking this round easily." Isamu answered as he watched Arcanine knock Staryu away with another Flame Wheel attack! Misty gritted her teeth as she encouraged her Water Type to keep fighting on.

"Come on, Staryu! I know you can still battle! So, let's use Double-Edge!" Misty cried out. At the order, Luna blinked in surprise to hear Staryu having a risky move as she watched Staryu charging towards her first Pokémon friend with a head-on attack.

"She's using a head-on attack... If that's the case, we'll do the same! Arcanine, use Flame Wheel one more time!" Luna cried out. Arcanine didn't need to be told twice as he charged to Staryu while surrounding his body with the flames again.

Everyone watched to see the two battlers collide against each other, causing a small explosion! There were huge ripples on the pool water as a result, as everyone covered their eyes to prevent themselves from being blinded by the big flash that occurred by the collision.

With the smoke clearing, Arcanine leapt back, landing on the platform while Staryu surfaced, sounding like it was groaning. Misty could only gasp in shock to see her first battling Pokémon defeated.

"Staryu! Oh no!" Misty gasped as she took out a Pokéball to call Staryu back, allowing it to rest in its Pokéball.

"Thanks, Staryu... You deserve a good rest." Misty said as she turned back to face Luna and her two Fire Types again.

 **Misty: 1 Pokémon**

"I've gotta admit... I didn't expect a Fire Type Pokémon like Arcanine to beat a Water Type like Staryu..." Misty admitted as Isamu sighed, before shaking his head again.

"It's like I said... She underestimated on what level Arcanine was, causing her to lose the first round..." Isamu said annoyingly, while causing Ash to give a sheepish smile at his elder brother for the annoyance level he seemed to be at.

Luna on the other hand, kept focus on the match as the battle wasn't over yet. With that in both her and Misty's mind, she watched Misty taking out another Pokéball to send out her second Pokémon for the match.

"Here goes! Misty calls Starmie!" Misty called out, bringing forth a Pokémon that looked similar to Staryu, but with different appearances. Ash blinked as Isamu took out his Pokédex to scan the new Pokémon.

 _"Starmie, the Mysterious Pokemon, and the evolved form of Staryu. Starmie's_ _central core glows with the seven colors of the rainbow. Some people value the core as a gem."_ Isamu's Pokedex buzzed, causing Ash to sweat drop to see a Pokémon familiar to Staryu.

"Another Pokemon related to gems and jewels?" Ash grumbled as the second match began.

"Alright, let's do this carefully! Arcanine, use Flamethrower!" Luna called out as Arcanine blasted his flames towards Starmie, as Misty tried to intercept the Flamethrower once again.

"Jump in the pool to dodge, Starmie!" Misty called out as Starmie did so, easily evading the Fire Type attack by splashing into the pool water. At his opponent disappearing, Arcanine growled and carefully looked around. Ninetales did the same as she frowned.

If Arcanine thinks wrong and gets knocked away by the surprise attack, then Arcanine could land in danger since a Fire Type like Arcanine himself wouldn't do so well in water.

"Water Gun, Starmie! Do it!" Misty called out as Starmie jumped out of the water, before surprising the Legendary Pokémon with the super effective attack! Arcanine flinched as he stumbled back, close to falling in the pool as he managed to stay on his feet.

Luna gasped a little before she sighed in relief as she tried again with a different attack.

"Arcanine, be careful! Use Bite!" Luna called out as Arcanine did so, aiming to damage Starmie with his sharp teeth! But the tomboyish Gym Leader wasn't going to allow it as she called Starmie to evade it once more.

"Dodge it, Starmie! Into the pool!" Misty called, allowing Starmie to do so. With the evade, the Dark Type move didn't reach Starmie as Arcanine landed on the platform as to where the Mysterious Pokémon once was. He could only growl in annoyance.

If this kept up, this would get ugly for him and for Luna. His thoughts were correct when Misty called for another surprise attack!

"Water Gun one more time, Starmie!" Misty cried out as Starmie splashed out of the pool, before shooting another Water Gun attack onto Arcanine, knocking the Legendary Pokémon back as Arcanine gritted his teeth as he managed to land on another platform.

Ninetales could only watch in concern to see her mate struggling before she reached to a decision. At the thought, she nudged Luna, catching her attention as she turned to her female Fire Type.

All she needed to see was the determination in Ninetales' eyes that allowed her to understand on what she wanted. With that agreed, Luna turned to her first Fire Type friend, calling him back from the match.

"Arcanine, come back!" Luna called, catching the Legendary Pokémon by surprise. But seeing his mate's eyes made Arcanine understand that she wanted to be part of Luna's first Gym match as he gave a slow nod.

To that, he ran back to where Luna was, before Luna allowed her female Fire Type to take the field. Misty narrowed her eyes, before coming to an understanding that it was another Fire Type that she was facing.

"Another Fire Type... Starmie, keep your guard up!" Misty called out, causing Starmie to brace itself as Luna made the first attack again, aiming to end the battle quick with a few moves.

"Will-o-Wisp, Ninetales!" Luna cried out, causing the evolved Fire Type to shoot purple fireballs to surround Starmie, catching the Mysterious Pokemon off guard as Misty blinked to see her Pokémon being surrounded by the mysterious flames.

"This doesn't look good... Starmie, get into the pool!" Misty called out as Starmie was about to do so, until Luna called for another attack that surprised everyone in the room.

"Hyper Beam, Ninetales!"

"Hyper Beam!? Isn't that one of the strongest moves in Pokémon battles!?" Ash gasped as Isamu also widened his eyes. Both Eevee and Pikachu watched in alarm, as the three Sensational Sisters watched in disbelief to see the powerful attack blast Starmie away and into the air!

"Starmie!? Oh no!" Misty could only gasp as she watched Starmie get slammed into the wall from the force of the Hyper Beam attack as the gem of them Mysterious Pokémon began to blink on and off.

"Oh no! Starmie's energy...!" Misty gaped as the gem stopped glowing, with Starmie falling limp. Misty widened her eyes as Luna only blinked. Ash on the other hand, cocked his head in confusion as he turned to his brother with a question.

"Um... Why did the glow on Starmie's gem go off, Isamu?" Ash asked as Isamu gave a small smile, before making his answer.

"That means that Starmie lost all of its energy to battle, so that would mean... Ninetales is the victor of this match. And since both Misty's Pokémon are unable to continue, this makes Luna the winner of the match." Isamu explained.

Ash blinked for a second, before he grinned as he turned to Luna with a bright look on his face.

"Oh! Alright! Luna, you did it! You won your first Gym match!" Ash exclaimed, catching Luna by surprise.

 **Winner: Luna**

"Huh...? I won? Really?" Luna asked as Ninetales jumped over to where her human child and her mate was before she nuzzled Luna a little, causing the young girl to blink several times before she slumped down in relief as she smiled happily for her first win.

"We... did it? We did it! Arcanine! Ninetales! We did it! We won!" Luna said happily as she hugged her two Fire Types, as they smiled at their victory as well. Misty on the other hand, just returned Starmie back to its Pokéball, before sighing in defeat.

"Looks like... I really underestimated Fire Types for today..." Misty said as Daisy walked up t9 her with a knowing look on her face.

"Well, little sis... It looks like you lost. Doesn't seem like you became a strong Pokémon Trainer yet if you weren't able to beat at least one of your challenger's Pokémon..." Daisy said in reminder as Misty shook her head, denying her fact as she was ready to battle again.

"That's not true! I may have lost, but I was caught off guard! If I battle the Ketchum brothers over there and win against both of them, I can still prove that I'm better as a Pokémon Trainer than the three of you are!" Misty claimed as Daisy blinked in surprise.

Before she could say a word however, the tomboyish Gym Leader ran off to another room, possibly to heal her two Pokémon as Isamu watched. He narrowed his eyes, understanding that his companion was having problems with her sisters.

And with the loss she just gained, this was ruining her "reputation" even more as a strong Pokémon Trainer.

 **Later...**

Isamu and Misty faced against each other next, with Luna joining Ash and the Sensational Sisters on the sidelines to watch. Pikachu and the two Fire Types watched with Seel as Misty took a deep breath before she confronted the elder brother.

"Alright, Isamu! It's your turn! And just like with Luna, if you want that Cascade Badge... You're going to have to beat me!" Misty declared as she took out a Pokéball as Isamu got ready, before he turned to Eevee.

"Alright... Eevee. You want to take the first round?" Isamu asked, earning a nod from his Evolution Pokémon.

"Eevee!" With a determined cry, the female Evolution Pokemon jumped onto one of the platforms to confront Misty as she sent out her first Pokemon for the match.

"Eevee is taking the field first, huh? In that case... Misty calls Starmie!" Misty called out as she sent out her Mysterious Pokémon out first, catching Eevee a little by surprise as Isamu blinked with the change.

"She sent out her Starmie first? I thought she would sent out Staryu..." Ash questioned, as he was confused with the order change.

"She must've wanted to change things up, since both you and Isamu saw her sent out Staryu first during my match against her." Luna guessed as the Sensational Sisters kept watch. Daisy could only frown to see her youngest sister looking too pumped up as the match began.

 **Isamu: Eevee + 1 VS Misty: Starmie + 1**

"Well, this is new... No matter. Eevee, use Bite!" Isamu called out as Eevee jumped onto several platforms to make physical contact with the evolved opponent as Misty countered with the pool water.

"Quick, Starmie! Into the water!" Misty called out, allowing Starmie to jump in and evade the Dark Type attack. With her opponent now in water, Eevee narrowed her eyes before she slowly looked around, aware of Starmie planning a surprise attack.

Isamu kept his focus on the pool too, in case if Starmie were to jump out in Eevee in a surprising way. The thoughts on his mind were interrupted as Misty called out her surprise attack.

"Now, Starmie! Use Rapid Spin!" Misty called out. But just as Starmie shot out of the water, Isamu took this chance to counter back!

"Don't think so! Eevee, use Quick Attack!" Isamu called out, alerting Eevee as she sped up her movements to bash Starmie away! The tomboyish Gym Leader gasped in surprise to see her surprise attack countered as she called out her Pokémon's name.

"Starmie, oh no! How did you know where Starmie might show up!?" Misty asked as Isamu folded his arms.

"That's because I've seen you try that trick when Starmie fought against Arcanine. When Starmie is about to pop out, it takes about two or three seconds for Starmie to come out of the pool water when it's surfacing from its hiding spot. So at those times, I can tell where Starmie might come out of." Isamu explained.

"Eevee vee!" Eevee cried out in agreement. Misty on the other hand, was in disbelief. She didn't expect a quick reaction from her opponent as she bit her lips.

"Well then, if you know that trick already, then let's try this! Starmie, use Water Gun multiple times!" Misty called as the Mysterious Pokémon blasted water onto Eevee, who managed to jump out of the way and land into another platform.

Water Gun didn't stop however, as Starmie kept shooting them at Eevee, who kept flipping out of the way to evade them. Ash gulped to see his brother being cornered as he tried to encourage him to fight back.

"Come on, big bro! You can beat her! You saw her tricky strategy before, so you can counter back again!" Ash called out, catching the elder brother by surprise. At hearing Ash cheer him on, Isamu smiled a little before he nodded to Ash.

As he turned back to the battle, another Water Gun was coming to the Evolution Pokémon's way. This time, Isamh was ready to make a creative way to counter back.

"Eevee! Don't dodge this time! Jump onto the Water Gun and run!" Isamu called out, catching Misty by surprise.

"Say what!?" was all Misty could say as she watched Eevee jump up and land on the Water Gun Starmie was using as she ran to where her opponent was! Even Starmie was shocked to see its move getting countered, allowing Isamu to make the next attack.

"Use Bite, Eevee!" Isamu shouted, making Eevee deal serious damage to the Water-Psychic Type! Starmie flinched as it staggered while landing on the ground. Arcanine growled in amusement while Ninetales expressed interest.

Pikachu on the other hand, cheered for Eevee as victory seemed to close in her grasp. Ash and Luna on the other hand, both blinked in surprise to see Isamu using a creative method to dodge and attack the opponent at the same time.

"Don't give up, Starmie! Use Rapid Spin!" Misty called out, allowing the Mysterious Pokémon to spin and aim for Eevee, who got ready to counter again.

"Dodge, then use Tackle!" Isamu cried, causing a Eevee to prépare herself before she dodged at a nice time. With Starmie being vulnerable in mid-air, Eevee jumped up and slammed into Starmie's gem spot, making a direct hit as the move sent Starmie into the air!

"Starmie, no!" Misty shrieked as she watched Starmie fall into the water before it resurfaced, with the gem flickering on and off before the light flickered off, leaving Misty to widen her eyes in shock.

"S-Starmie... You did great. Thanks for fighting hard again." Misty said silently as she recalled Starmie back to its Pokéball.

 **Misty: 1 Pokémon**

"Eevee, come back. You did great, too." Isamu said, earning a nod of understanding from the Evolution Pokémon. She jumped onto several platforms before joining her human friend again as Isamu took out a Pokéball to allow his second Pokémon take the match.

"Nidoran, take the field!" Isamu called out, as he sent his Poison Type out to face Misty's next Pokémon. The little Pokémon looked ready to fight as he readied his horn to pierce at towards his opponent. This didn't seem to faze Misty though as she looked ready.

"Nidoran... Alright... Misty calls Staryu!" Misty cried out as she called forth her Star Shape Pokémon out for battle.

With both battlers out, the second part of the match began with Isamu taking the first move.

"Let's do it! Nidoran, Horn Attack!" Isamu called out, allowing Nidoran to dash and jump onto several platforms to pierce Staryu with his horn. But the tomboyish Gym Leader wasn't about to lose that easily as she called for a countermove.

"Jump, Staryu! Then, use Swift!" Misty called as Staryu narrowly evaded the piercing attack, before it knocked Nidoran away with the Swift attack! Isamu could only watch as Nidoran skidded onto one of the platforms before he recovered from the hit.

"Great, Staryu! Now, use Water Gun!" Misty shouted out, alerting Staryu. The Star Shape Pokemon shot the water at Nidoran, who took the hit again as he tumbled back to where both Isamu and Eevee were.

"Nidoran, can you still battle?" Isamu asked as Nidoran gave a shirt nod, before he confronted Staryu again. With that, Isamu called out the next attack to strike back.

"In that case... Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Isamu called out, allowing Nidoran to shoot poison needles towards Staryu, as Misty called for another surprise attack to be done.

"Into the water, Staryu!" Misty yelled, allowing Staryu to evade the needles by getting into the pool. Nidoran scoffed, annoyed for his opponent escaping again as he carefully looked around to see where the Water Type was.

"Alright, now! Staryu! Use Double-Edge!" Misty yelled, causing Staryu to jump out of the water and charge towards Nidoran, only for Isamu to strike back with a countermove!

"Don't think so! Double Kick!" Isamu called back, allowing Nidoran to negate Double-Edge with the first kick. Then, with the second kick, it managed to knock Staryu back! The tomboyish Gym Leader gasped in surprise as Staryu splashed into the pool water again.

"Staryu, are you okay!?" Misty called out in worry as Staryu slowly got out of the water and into the platform, as it shook itself off from the water. Ash frowned, seeing how the Star Shape Pokémon was still in the battle.

"I can't believe how Staryu was able to survive that. Normally that would end the match, would it?" Ash asked as Luna shook her head before she explained.

"That's only if the Double Kick attack was strong enough to knock a Pokémon out, but it wasn't. Staryu only took some damage from the second kick, allowing it to keep battling. This is starting to get tough for Isamu... I think." Luna explained.

"Now, Nidoran! Use Horn Attack one more time!" Isamu yelled, allowing Nidoran to charge at the Star Shape Pokémon. With the head-on attack coming, Misty made an attempt to intercept the attack again.

"That move again? Staryu, jump! Then, use Swift one more time!" Misty called out. At the order, Staryu got out of Nidoran's way by jumping as it got ready to unleash Swift once more. But what Isamu did next surprised both the Gym Leader and her Pokémon as Isamu called out another attack!

"Poison Sting, let's go!" Isamu called out. As Staryu was vulnerable in mid-air, the poison needles surprised Staryu badly as it was hit by the needles, causing it to slam onto the platform!

"No way!" Misty gasped as Isamu narrowed his eyes with a knowing look.

"We're not going to fall for that twice. Nidoran, Double Kick!" Isamu called out, allowing Nidoran to knock Staryu down again twice, as the Double Kick knocked the Star Shape Pokémon out as it gave a groan from the total damage it had taken from the battle just now.

"Staryu!?" Misty had called out Staryu by the time the last kick from Double Kick sapped all of Staryu's energy, preventing the Water Type from battling anymore.

 **Winner: Isamu**

"Nice! The win is ours, Nidoran! You did it!" Isamu called out, causing Nidoran to cheer for the win as Ash cheered for his big brother winning his second Gym Battle.

"Yeah! Big bro did it!" Ash exclaimed as Pikachu cheered for both Eevee and Nidoran's victory as Luna sighed in relief, placing a hand to her chest.

"Thank goodness..." Luna said silently, enough for Arcanine to hear as he gave a small glance to Luna, before he turned his eye back at Isamu. A thought came to the Legendary Pokémon's mind, before he dismissed the immediate thought.

Misty on the other hand, returned Staryu back as she gave a glance to her three elder sisters. They didn't seem too bothered with her second loss, but Daisy on the other hand had a small frown on his face. Misty didn't notice this, however as she went to another room to heal her Pokémon.

That way, with her third battle... this time against Ash, she would be able to prove to her sisters that she can handle herself pretty well, even without them being around.

 **Later...**

Ash and Pikachu were facing Misty this time, and their argument about the bike didn't seem to be dismissed yet as Misty looked more ready than ever to defeat her challenger this time.

"I wasn't planning on challenging you until you paid me back for my bike, but this is as good as time as any! If you want that Cascade Badge like your brother and Luna, you're gonna have to beat me!" Misty demanded as Ash smirked, feelings confident.

"It'll be my pleasure! Pikachu, this one is gonna be a piece of cake. If big bro and Luna were both able to beat her one at a time, then I'm sure that we can win, too!" Ash said confidently, much to Pikachu's reluctance as he turned back to where Misty was standing.

"Chu..." was all Pikachu needed to say to show he disapproved of fighting against Misty himself as Ash turned to Misty.

"So! How many Pokémon?" Ash asked as Misty immediately gave the answer.

"We'll use the same rules as I did with your brother and Luna! Two against two works for me!" Misty answered, as Ash already made his choice on who he was going to use first for the match.

"You got it! Alright then, Pikachu! I choose you!" Ash called out as he tried to send his Electric Type partner into battle. But to his surprise, Pikachu hung onto his right arm, not letting himself be sent out into battle!

Both Isamu and Luna were surprised to see this too as Ash questioned his partner for his hesitance in entering battle.

"Pikachu!? What are you doing!?" Ash snapped as Pikachu pointed to Misty, before shaking his head, while saying his words of hesitation at the same time.

"Chu chu..." Pikachu said sadly, allowing the younger brother to understand as he frowned to see Pikachu's reason.

"Oh... what? Are you saying that you don't want to battle with Misty?" Ash asked, earning an affirmation from his Electric Type. Isamu sighed, while Luna sweat dropped. They understood why Pikachu didn't want to fight as well...

"Well... I guess it's okay if you don't want to battle a friend..." Ash said as Misty giggled, before she praised Pikachu's decision to back off from the match.

"Pikachu! You're a Pika-pal!" Misty called out, causing Pikachu to brighten up again. Ash on the other hand, wasn't so thrilled as he took out another Pokéball to battle against Misty.

"Thanks a lot, Pikachu..." Ash grumbled as he twisted his cap backwards before he sent out his first Pokémon.

"Butterfree, I choose you!" Ash cried out, as he sent his Bug-Flying Type Pokémon out for battle. The evolved Bug Type appeared, allowing Misty to send out her Pokémon for the first match.

"Well, in that case... Misty calls Staryu!" Misty called out, allowing the Star Shape Pokémon to appear onto the battlefield for the third time. At Staryu being sent out, the younger brother frowned at seeing Staryu's appearance as he sighed.

"I've said this before and I'll say it again... leave it to a girl to show off her jewelry..." Ash grumbled, irritating Misty as she flailed her arms around in annoyance, impatient for the battle to start.

"Quit stalling and let's get this show on the road!" Misty snapped. While the battle was about to begin, the Sensational Sisters began to question the chances Misty had for winning this battle.

"Do you really think Misty could win?" Violet asked as Lily just smirked.

"Like, in her dreams, maybe." Lily commented as Seel expressed excitement for the match to start. Daisy remained silent as Ash began the match with the first attack.

 **Ash: Butterfree + 1 VS Misty: Staryu + 1**

"Butterfree! You can blow that thing away with one blast! Tackle it!" Ash called as Butterfree swooped down, making contact with Staryu as he knocked the Star Shape Pokémon down, leaving Misty to try and strike back.

"Staryu! Counterattack with Tackle!" Misty called as Staryu jumped to knock the Bug-Flying Type, forcing Ash to call for a dodge.

"Dodge it!" Ash cried out, causing Butterfree to dodge and make Staryu nearly lose balance! Butterfree did the honors of knocking it down however, as multiple Tackle attacks made several hits onto Staryu, increasing Ash's confidence in his victory.

"Ha Ha! I'm gonna win this!" Ash exclaimed. But his words seemed to have come too soon as Misty began to make a comeback with her Water Type attack from Staryu.

"Staryu! Use Water Gun!" Misty called out. At the order, Staryu recovered before it jumped into the water. As soon as it surfaced, it shot a Water Gun! This surprised Butterfree as more Water Gun came from Staryu, forcing Butterfree to try and dodge it.

"In that case, Stun Spore! Now!" Ash yelled, allowing Butterfree to counter back as he flew over Staryu, before sprinkling the Star Shape Pokémon with the powder that paralyzes it, causing Staryu to wince enough to left Misty know that it was in pain.

"Oh no! Staryu looks like it's in real pain!" Misty gasped as Ash frowned, before he asked.

"It doesn't even have a face! How can you tell?" Ash asked as the tomboyish Gym Leader scoffed before she answered.

"Because I'm sensitive to others' feelings! That's how!" Misty snapped as Ash narrowed his eyes before folding his arms with a disbelieving look.

"Well yeah? Like I'm not..." Ash grumbled. Isamu only smiled sheepishly to see the two arguing again as Seel seemed to be happy fun with how the battle was going as it clapped its front flippers happily, much to the three sisters' confusion altogether.

"Which side are you clapping for?" Violet asked. As Seel kept clapping, Misty tried to prevent the paralysis from taking effect as she called for Staryu to get into the pool water.

"Staryu! Wash it off!" Misty called out as Staryu did so, by falling into the water. But as soon as the Star Shape Pokémon washed the powder off of its body, it immediately surfaced, feeling recovered from the paralysis it felt from the Stun Spore attack.

"Yeah! Too bad! You didn't know that Stun Spore attack doesn't work if you wash it off in the water!" Misty bragged as Ash twitched his eyes in annoyance, as he tried a different method to immobilize the Star Shape Pokémon.

"She thinks she knows everything... Butterfree, Sleep Powder attack!" Ash called out, causing Butterfree to fly up and spread the green powder all over Staryu this time. But Staryu was ready this time as it dove back underwater to prevent itself from falling asleep. Misty smirked as she called for another attack from the water.

"Tackle it from underwater!" Misty shouted out. At that order, Staryu spun to tackle Butterfree away. The first hit was a success. For Butterfree, the rest of the battle was a struggle for the Bug-Flying Type as he continuously had to dodge the multiple Tackle attacks from underwater.

With the comeback of hers working perfectly, Misty began to regain her confidence for her victory.

"If Staryu can get Butterfree underwater, then I win! Water Pokémon always have the edge in the water! Ha ha ha ha!¿ Misty laughed as Luna sweat dropped before she sighed.

"She has a point, but did she need to brag and laugh about it at the same time?" Luna asked no as Arcanine narrowed his eyes with an unamused expression. Ninetales seemed to feel the same way as she didn't say a word as well.

Pikachu seemed to agree with what Misty was saying however as he smiled, before nodding in agreement. Ash didn't take this well from his partner as he gave a small glare to his Electric Type.

"Pikachu! You're supposed to be on my side!" Ash protested, stopping his partner from cheering the opponent.

The Sensational Sisters however, seemed to be seeing how Misty was faring better in this battle than the last two battles she had.

"Misty's like, totally awesome..." Daisy commented as she regained her smile for her younger sister.

"Well, we three got the good looks in the family, so I guess she had to get some talent." Lily chuckled. Wit that said, Staryu managed to knock the evolved Bug-Flying Type into the water, making Butterfree unable to battle!

Ash blinked, before he quickly called Butterfree back to prevent him from drowning.

 **Ash: 1 Pokémon**

"Butterfree, return! And... Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash called out as he sent his next Flying Type out for the second round of the match. At the match, Pidgeotto let out a loud battle cry at being called out. With the next Pokémon out, Misty called back Staryu for a switch-out.

"Oh yeah!? Staryu, return! And... Misty calls Starmie!" Misty yelled as she sent out her evolved Mysterious Pokémon to face the Bird Pokémon. Ash braced himself as he commanded Pidgeotto to begin attacking.

"Pidgeotto! Whirlwind it away!" Ash yelled. Pidgeotto didn't need to be told twice as he let out a loud battle cry before he sent a strong wind to try and knock Starmie off balance, until Misty used the water again to prevent any damage.

"Dive under! Then, up with Tackle!" Misty yelled out. At that, Starmie jumped into the pool water before it spun to knock Pidgeotto away, much to the Bird Pokémon's surprise as it let out a surprised chirp before flying back.

"Strike back with Wing Attack!" Ash yelled, allowing Pidgeotto to slam Starmie down with its Flying Type attack. But despite being struck down, the Mysterious Pokémon slammed Pidgeotto away again, forcing Ash to try another attack.

"Give it a Gust to blow it away!" Ash cried out. With that order, the Bird Pokemon made a strong gust of wind to send Starmie flying and slam into the wall! Misty gasped as she called for her Pokémon.

"Starmie!? Oh no... Starmie's energy is just about to run out!" Misty gasped as she watched the glow on its gem flash on and off several times. Isamu noticed this and smiled a little, believing the match turning to Ash's favor.

"Pidgeotto just might win this match if it keeps up like that." Isamu said as Eevee cheered for Pidgeotto to keep fighting.

"Eevee! Vee vee!" Eevee cried out as the younger brother was ready to take down one of his companion's Pokémon.

"Alright, Pidgeotto! Let's get that Cascade Badge!" Ash called out confidently. But before he could call out a move, the whole Gym began to shake, catching everyone by surprise! Before anyone could react however, a giant machine smashed into the wall, entering the battlefield!

Three familiar figures were on the machine as the Sensational Sisters commented on how weird the intruders looked.

"Check out that hair!" Violet scoffed as Daisy narrowed her eyes.

"Like, who invited the party crashers?" Daisy asked. Isamu and Luna both got ready to fight as Ash and Misty joined them and the three sisters. They all got together in time to see the familiar trio making their motto together!

"Sorry to break in on you, ladies!"

"Allow us to introduce ourselves!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Tch... The morons came back, huh..." Isamu said as Eevee growled at the evil trio. Luna didn't say a word, but glared as Arcanine and Ninetales growled at the enemies crashing into the Gym.

"The Water Pokémon have the advantage..." James started to say, until Jessie made a prediction of what might happen next.

"But, if we steal that water away..." Jessie started to say, before she allowed James to finish the rest.

"The Pokémon are ours for the taking!" James finished as Meowth got ready to suck everything up with the machine they had.

"And Meowth knows just how to do it!" Meowth sneered as he controlled the vacuum to use the hose to suck in all the pool's water!

"Just what are they trying to prove?" Daisy asked with an annoyed expression as she and the other two Sensational Sisters watched to see the villains steal their water. Ash, Isamu, and Luna all on the other hand, recognized the machine the evil trio had with them.

"A vacuum and a giant hose... Ah! Big bro, aren't those...!" Ash gasped as Isamu nodded with a stern look.

"Yeah... Those crooks must be the burglars that stole the two items from the store earlier!" Isamu said as Luna narrowed her eyes.

"So that's why they stole them... It's to target all the Water Type Pokémon in this Gym! Why didn't I think of them being the culprits of that?" Luna concluded, before asking herself the question in annoyance.

But as the hose kept sucking in all the water, the levels of the swimming pool started to get lower, much to the Sensational Sisters' complaint.

"Our swimming pool!" Daisy gasped while Misty bit her lips.

"No! They're sucking it dry!" Misty pointed out, causing Lily to complain for the water being stolen.

"That's our water!" Lily complained, causing Meowth to sneer with an idea of washing his enemies away.

"Right! I should give it back!" Meowth sneered as he made the hose shoot out the water! It washed everyone away, catching them all by surprise! Luna shrieked as she was being dragged by the water currents that came from the hose.

"NOOOO!" Luna screamed, catching both of Arcanine and Ninetales' attention as they struggled to reach to their defenseless Trainer, even if their weakness was water. Isamu on the other hand, struggled to keep Eevee in his arms safely to prevent her from being separated from him.

"We've gotta protect the Pokémon!" Misty gasped as she struggled to stay afloat on the water. Violet wasn't keen with the idea as she complained for her wet hair.

"Like, what about my hair!?" Violet complained. Before anyone could respond to her complaint, the cunning Team Rocket member began to suck up the pool water again. This time, his motive was to suck up all the Pokémon that was hit by the water!

"Alright! Now to suck them up!" Meowth called out as he controlled the vacuum to suck the water back again! Seel wailed as he was dragged in by the rushing water, much to the Sensational Sisters' dismay as Violet called out for the Water-Ice Type.

"No, Seel! Come back!" Violet gasped as Seel was sucked in. Isamu managed to get uo and notice Eevee was still in his arms, despite her fur being wet. The older brother could only ask if she was alright or not, despite with what happened just now.

"Eevee, are you okay?" Isamu asked, earning himself a weak cry from his Evolution Pokémon as she tried to shake the water off of her fur. At this, the elder Ketchum brother glared to where the evil trio were as Luna slowly recovered the wet situation she was involved in.

Besides her were Arcanine and Ninetales, as they seemed to be fatigued with the struggle they had, due to the surprise water attack. Because of their weaknesses, they couldn't stay standing as they slumped down, much to Luna's dismay.

"Arcanine! Ninetales! Oh no!" Luna gasped as she ran over to the two, before she glared to where the evil trio was.

"How could they...?!" Luna growled to herself. With the stunt the evil trio was pulling off, it gave her a reminder on how her "father" treated Pokémon. The memory of that caused her to shake her head as Isamu noticed the frustration on her face.

"This must be reminding her about something... Wait, what about Ash and Pikachu!?" Isamu started to think, before he suddenly remembered his brother and his Electric Type partner. He quickly turned to where Ash was, who seemed to have also recovered from the blast he had taken from the water.

But for Pikachu, the Electric Type wasn't so lucky as he was caught in the current from the water being sucked in Both the Ketchum brothers gasped as the younger brother tried to call for his partner, until he remembered something about water and electricity.

"Pikachu... Hey, wait a sec! Water conducts electricity! Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted, enough to let Pikachu hear. At hearing the command, Pikachu unleashed the Thunderbolt, causing the hose and vacuum to be shocked as well!

That also included Team Rocket, as they were too late to escape as they quickly became victims to the Thunderbolt. With the shocking complete, they were all burnt to crisp now.

"It's times like these that makes me want to go straight..." James groaned before he, Jessie, and Meowth fell into the water. With the vacuum and hose still functioning even from the Electric Type attack, the evil trio were also sucked in by their own machines!

"Ugh... Now I know how it feels to be all washed up..." James groaned as Jessie remained stiff, before whining for being burnt.

"We'll never come clean!" Jessie could only say as the three all screamed at being sucked in as they were sent high flying into the air! Seel, who managed to stay safe from the vacuum clapped to see the bad guy so being thrown away like trash in the air.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" The evil trio screamed as they disappeared into the sky.

But due to them not controlling the machine anymore, the vacuum kept sucking in all the water! Pikachu tried to swim to safety, only to be dragged in by the vacuum fast as he let out a cry for help.

"Cha!" Pikachu cried out as the girls all gasped to see the little Electric Type being dragged in.

"Oh no!" "Pikachu!" Daisy and Misty both cried out as Isamu was about to run. But before he could do so, his younger brother had beaten him to the punch as Ash ran to where the vacuum and the hose was.

As Pikachu was getting sucked in by the vacuum, the younger Ketchum brother ran to where the machine was as he quickly ran and lowered the level to make the hose release all the water it sucked up earlier.

"Agh... Pikachu!" Ash cried out as he lowered the lever in time. With the hose releasing the water this time, it even released Pikachu at the same time, allowing Daisy to catch him in her arms, much to everyone's relief.

 **Later...**

With the incident all cleared up, despite the mess they needed to clean up, both Ash and Misty sighed together as their match was interrupted by the evil trio.

"Hey, we never got to finish our match." Misty said in reminder, causing the younger brother to sigh.

"Yeah... And I was just about to win it, too." Ash said, catching Misty's attention as she twitched an eyebrow.

"What...?" Misty could only say, as she was bewildered for the words Ash just said. The elder brother only raised an eyebrow in amusement before he corrected him while placing his hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"Actually, little bro... Both you and Misty were on equal terms. She was about to lose Starmie, while you were about to lose with Butterfree... So, I guess you could say, that the match was considered a draw, due to Team Rocket getting in the way and all." Isamu explained.

"He's right! You could also say that your match had to be postponed. Like, due to drain?" Violet added teasingly.

"At least nobody lost!" Lily added in reminder. That didn't seem to brighten both Ash and Misty's attitudes as the tomboyish Gym Leader was more upset for not winning any of the matches. Ash on the other hand, was disappointed for losing his chance to get the Cascade Badge.

"I wanted to win..." Misty whined as the younger brother sighed.

"I guess I'm not gonna get that Cascade Badge..." Ash sighed, until Daisy stepped up to him, and the other challengers.

"Wrong. We're giving this Badge to you. And that includes both your brother and the cutie there, too!" Daisy said as she handed out three Cascade Badges, one for each of them as Misty blinked in surprise, before she frowned.

"How come he gets the Badge? He didn't win the battle like Isamu and Luna did!" Misty complained as Luna stepped up, before she smiled at the Sensational Sisters. For her two Fire Types, she kept them in their Pokéballs, while promising them that she would take them to the Pokémon Center later.

"Pikachu was the one that like, totally saved us all. And if he used Pikachu's from the start, then there was no way your Water Pokémon would've won." Daisy reminded Misty, causing the tomboyish Gym Leader to pout.

"Oh man..." was all Misty could say as Isamu and Luna accepted their Badges from Daisy with thanks, as the elder brother smiled at his younger brother, encouraging him to take the Badge as Daisy insists him to.

"Come on, little bro. Both you and Pikachu deserve it. And that includes both Pidgeotto and Butterfree since they worked hard battling Misty's Pokémon for you." Isamu said softly, causing the little brother to smile before he nodded at his words.

"Right... And, thank you, Daisy!" Ash said as he accepted the Cascade Badge, before he showed it to his Electric Type partner. Pikachu smiled happily before he let out a happy 'Cha' for their second achievement.

Eevee was happy for their win as well as she stared happily at the Badge she and Isamu were given as the elder brother smiled.

"Two down, six more Gyms to go." Isamu said, causing Eevee to nod happily with a happy cry.

 **That evening...**

With the sun setting, the four trainers were leaving the Gym as Misty began to say her parting words to her three elder sisters.

"Misty, you just go right on ahead to try to become a Pokémon Trainer." Daisy said, making the first words as Lily followed along with a teasing tone and expression.

"You might as well be good at something, because you'll never be stars like us!" Lily said teasingly, enough to make Misty irritated with the tone she was giving off.

"You keep that up, and you'll be seeing stars!" Misty snapped, as Violet just giggled at the expression.

"Chill out!" Violet giggled as Daisy spoke again.

"Misty... Be careful. You know that we love you." Daisy said softly, causing the tomboyish Gym Leader to smile softly, before nodding back in agreement.

"Yeah..." was all Misty needed to say as Isamu, Luna, and Ash watched. They only smiled at each other, now that Misty was able to deal with her situation in a positive way.

"Hey, you three!" Brock cried out, catching everyone's attention. The Kanto breeder was running with Yelłw and Chuchu at his side as Ash greeted the two back with a grin.

"Yo, Brocko! Hey, Yellow!" Ash said as Yellow stepped up, having the hopeful expression on his face. Chuchu also looked hopeful for her Pokémon friends as she listened to her Trainer, who asked Isamu, Ash, and Luna.

"So, how did your Gym Battles go? Did you all win?" Yellow asked. The three challengers all smiled before they revealed their Cascade Badges to the two, allowing both of them to understand.

"Cool! And hey, congrats on your first Gym Badge, little sis." Brock said, causing Luna to smile softly for the praise.

"Thanks, Brock..." Luna said as the five all agreed to move to the next town, catching Misty by surprise as she quickly caught up with the others.

"Hey! You guys are not leaving without me!" Misty snapped as she glared at the younger brother, who glared back for her attitude.

"Misty, you're not gonna be a sore loser, are you?" Ash asked, irritating the tomboyish Gym Leader as she snapped back.

"I didn't lose anything! It was a draw!" Misty retorted, causing Ash to give her a reminder of the Badge he's holding right now.

"Well, I'm the one who got the Badge! Even big bro and Luna has your Badge, too!" Ash said in reminder, irritating Misty again as she made another retort to the younger Ketchum brother.

"What!? You know you lost with Butterfree! Both your brother and Luna didn't lose any of their Pokémon!" Misty snapped back, annoying Ash as he countered back.

"That was just round one! If you couldn't beat any of big bro and Luna's Pokémon, then it should've been easy for me, too! You just got lucky that you didn't lose!" Ash retorted, making Misty give him a reminder about the interference.

"If Team Rocket hadn't busted in, I would've destroyed you!" Misty snapped, causing the younger brother to scoff at those words.

"You were lucky they showed up! You were about to lose!" Ash shot back.

"Lose!? I was just getting started!" Misty snapped back.

"Oh yeah!?"

"Oh yeah!"

They kept going on, enough to make the others sigh as Isamu shook his head with a sheepish smile.

"Well... I guess we all know that those two aren't going to settle down later..." Isamu said, earning nods from Brock, Luna, and Yellow. Even Pikachu, Chuchu, and Eevee agreed, due to them arguing constantly before they even arrived at Cerulean City.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (** **Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle** **)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

 **Vulpix: (F): (Ember, Quick Attack, Roar, Dig)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

 **Chapter 16: The Severe Training and Bond!?**

 **Chapter 17: The Rich Pokémon Tech School!**

 **Chapter 18: The Proof of the Trainer's Skills!**

 **Chapter 19: To the Hidden Village! Wait, Traps!?**

 **Next chapter preview:**

Isamu: This is certainly a surprise. The two of us have been having battles, but neither of us lost once.

Ash: Maybe the goddess of victory is shining upon us! I don't think we're gonna lose anytime soon!

Misty: If you two act overconfident like that, then it's going to be your downfall... Both of you!

AJ: So...! Are the two of you going to be my next victims? You two are such losers!

Luna: Well, it looks like someone's acting unpleasant... And I don't like unpleasant Trainers!

Ash: Whoa! What's with Luna!? It's like she's evolving into a cold Trainer with fiery determination!

 **Events that occurred:**

\- Luna and Isamu defeats Misty, earning themselves the Cascade Badges

\- Misty is revealed to have a Staryu and a Starmie

\- Ash battles Misty, but the battle is interrupted by Team Rocket

\- Ash earns a Cascade Badge from Daisy


	15. The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!

**Chapter 15: The No-Loss Gym Trainer, AJ!**

"Um, big bro? Where are we going again?" Ash asked, causing the elder Ketchum brother to sweat drop before he gave a sheepish smile to his little brother.

"To Vermillion City. That's our next destination if we want to win our third Kanto Gym Badge there..." Isamu explained while Misty sighed, feeling happy to know what it would feel if she was on a luxury cruise ship.

"Not only that, Vermillion City has a luxury cruise ship and I'm dying to see it!" Misty said happily while Luna blinked in confusion.

"A cruise ship? Isn't that ship only for people that are wealthy or something? As far as I can tell... even with the six of us, we aren't that wealthy or powerful..." Luna asked bluntly, causing Misty to pale before she slumped down.

"Why did you have to bring that up...?" Misty groaned while asking, causing Luna to give a sheepish smile while Arcanine just gave the Water Type user a blank look. Ninetales on the other hand, did nothing but shake her head.

"Never mind a cruise ship! We won't have time for sight-seeing!" Ash protested, going against the idea of relaxing, causing Isamu to place a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll be leaving Vermillion City after we get our Gym Badge, Ash... So I don't think you'll have to worry about us going sight-seeing." Isamu said in reassurance, earning a nod from his little brother.

"Well? What are we waiting for!? Let's go to Vermillion City right away! I'm gonna win my third Badge there!" Ash called out as he ran off, leaving the others behind as Yellow tried to warn of the tough trainers that were along the road.

"Ash, hold on! There are lots of tough Trainers along the road! It's not gonna be that easy reaching to Vermillion City from here!" Yellow called out, while Ash kept grinning, still having the confidence in himself to be able to win his battles there.

"Aw, bring 'em on! I bet none of them even has one Pokémon Gym Badge!" Ash called out as he kept on running, trying to find a Trainer he could battle against to prepare for the upcoming Gym Battle he would take.

"How does he have so much energy...? Do you know, Isamu?" Luna asked, causing the elder Ketchum brother to sigh.

"That's just Ash. Having no desire to stop until he becomes the best." Isamu explained before he followed after him, with Eevee walking beside his left. The others just followed as they knew that this could be a long journey, even if it's just to get to Vermillion City.

* * *

 **(Pokémon Opening: Aim to Be a Pokémon Master! English Subbed)**

 ** _(I'll get you, Pokémon!)_**

(Japanese Opening appears)  
 _  
 **Even if in fire, in water, in grass, in forests**  
 **In ground, in clouds, in that girl's skirt (eek!)**_

(Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur shoot their attacks in the air)

(Pikachu and Eevee run together past Ash and Isamu, and a girl)  
 _  
 **It's very, very,**  
 **Very, very difficult but**_

(Pictures of different Pokémon appear in each box sections)

 ** _I'm sure I'll_ _get_ _you!  
I'll __get_ _you, Pokémon!_**

(Ash twists his cap and throws a Pokéball; Isamu throws his Pokéball in the air)

(Ash and Pikachu sits together on a Lapras)  
 _  
 **Farewell, bye-bye, Pallet Town**_

(Ash and Isamu stand together, seeing Pallet Town from the hill)

 ** _I'm leaving on a journey with him (Pikachu!)_**

(The two brothers walk together with Eevee and Pikachu)

 ** _Racking up wins with the moves_ _we've trained_**

(Ash throws a Pokéball, summoning Pidgeot; Isamu throws his Pokéball, summoning Nidoking)  
 _  
 **Making friends, and then off to the next city**_

(Ash's Pidgeot and a Fearow battles each other; Isamu's Nidoking faces and battles against a Machamp)

(Brock and Misty stands with the two brothers together)

(Luna and Yellow joins in with the two)

 **Always and forever doing well**

(Team Rocket appears with Meowth, Ekans, and Koffing; Gary smirks and shows a Pokéball)  
 _  
 **Though there's no guarantee of that... (That's true!)**_

(The six run through a rainstorm; Officer Jenny, Prof. Oak, Delia, and Nurse Joy stands and nods together)

 ** _Forever and always, I'll live true_**

(Ash, Misty, Isamu, Luna, Yellow, and Brock sits together in a campfire night)  
 _  
 **Because they're here**_

(Ash, Isamu, Pikachu, and Eevee runs together with an Arcanine and Rapidash)

(The three legendary birds fly in the air; Mewtwo and Mew flies above the world in space)  
 _  
 **Ah! I long to be a Pokémon Master**_

(Ash opens his eyes, seeing himself in the middle of the battlefield stadium)

 ** _I want to be, I have to be_**

(Ash takes out a Pokéball in his left hand; Isamu takes out a Pokéball in his right hand)  
 _  
 **I know I'll be one!**_

(Ash and Isamu hold their Pokéballs into the air, with Eevee and Pikachu standing with them)

(Brock, Luna, Yellow, and Misty watches the two with smiles on their faces)

 **[Opening Ends]**

* * *

 **Trainer: Rattata VS Ash: Pidgeotto**

 **Trainer 2: Beedrill VS Isamu: Vulpix**

 **Trainer 3: Fearow VS Luna: Arcanine**

"Pidgeotto, finish it! Use Quick Attack!"

"Let's wrap this up. Vulpix, use Ember!"

"Arcanine, let's end this with Flamethrower!"

After the group all left Cerulean City with Ash, Luna, and Isamu gaining the Cascade Badge from their battles with Misty, the group all continued their way to where the next town could be, which would be Vermillion City.

While the six Trainers were traveling together to Vermillion City, Ash, Isamu, and Luna were each challenged to a battle by a group of Trainers that were traveling together. The three of them all challenged the three, as they all wanted to train for their upcoming Gym Battles.

But as the triple battle went on, the tide of the battles had quickly turned to Isamu, Ash, and Luna's favor as they quickly gained the advantage during their matches.

Pidgeotto knocked the first Trainer's Rattata away with a swift Quick Attack. Vulpix blasted the second Trainer's Beedrill away with her fierce Ember attack. And Arcanine quickly wrapped his match up with the third Trainer's Fearow with a hot Flamethrower attack.

"Ah! Rattata!"

"No way! Beedrill!"

"Fearow, no!"

 **Winner: Ash, Isamu, Luna**

"And I win! And that's number 10!" Ash declared, feeling joyful that his winning streak became even higher.

"Great battle, Vulpix. That was really good, even for your first try!" Isamu said, complimenting his young Fire Type, who smiled back at her Trainer happily for their first battle victory.

"Vul! Vulpix!" Vulpix cried out happily before she ran up to her father, who smiled proudly at his daughter's first win in her battle. Luna just smiled as the daughter and father bonded together for their victorious matches against their opponents.

Later, after the three Trainers returned their defeated Pokémon, they all congratulated their victorious opponents for their wins.

"You guys are really great Pokémon Trainers!" The first Trainer said, amazed with how they fought.

"It's like we didn't stand a chance..." The second Trainer admitted with a sigh.

"I thought the three of us could win against you guys, but it turns out I was wrong..." The third Trainer said sadly, before he gave out a sad smile.

For the younger brother, he grinned before he revealed his two Badges to the three.

"Well... I guess for me, I was pretty good there." Ash said, surprising the three.

"Wow! You've got Badges!" The first Trainer cried out in surprise.

"Ash isn't the only one that has Badges. So do the two of us." Isamu explained before he showed his two Badges that he won from Misty and Brock. Luna revealed her Cascade Badge, impressing the three as the second Trainer spoke out his amazement.

"No wonder you three were able to beat us..." The second Trainer said in disbelief.

"Looks like we still have a long way to go if we want to make it to the Pokémon League..." The third Trainer added until Luna tried to convince the three to be even stronger than they are right now.

"Come on, you three. It was just one battle. That doesn't mean you all should be down because of that. Just train and try harder. Maybe then you'll be able to beat us and be able to compete in the Pokémon League." Luna said encouragingly.

"I guess so..." The third Trainer said, causing Brock to smile. He was starting to feel proud for how his adoptive little sister was faring with her victories. And Isamu was encouraging the second Trainer to keep trying harder, too.

But for Ash, he just grinned before showing off his two Badges, causing Misty to grumble while Yellow just gave a nervous smile.

"I think giving him those Badges was a mistake..." Misty grumbled, allowing Brock to understand before he nodded.

"Uh huh..." Brock said silently.

Pikachu just shrugged, seeing how that's how his Trainer was. Yellow on the other hand, said nothing while Chuchu made the same expression as Pikachu did.

"Hey... I bet one of you three could even beat AJ!" The first Trainer exclaimed, having an idea pop up into his head.

"AJ? And who's that?" Isamu asked, allowing the second Trainer to point where the new Trainer lives in.

"Yeah! He lives over there! People say AJ trains savage Pokémon. And not only that, he built his own Gym while gaining wins one by one, not even losing once!" The second Trainer explained, amusing Isamu a little while making Luna a bit uncomfortable.

"Not once, huh... That's a little funny to believe." Isamu said with folded arms.

"But if it's true, then he must be a very strong Trainer if people are calling him undefeated..." Luna reminded, allowing the elder Ketchum brother to understand. But Ash on the other hand, grinned, feeling confident for another win.

"Strong Trainer or not, today will be the day he actually loses! He hasn't come against somebody like me, big bro, or Luna!" Ash bragged, causing Misty and Brock to feel a bit more irritated while Yellow sighed at the attitude.

"He's getting a big head..." Misty grumbled, with Brock adding in.

"Yeah, but his brain is still the same size..." Brock grunted.

Pikachu and Chuchu nodded together in agreement, while Eevee just sighed. The little brother still had a long way to go if he wants to brag about his abilities of being a true Pokémon Trainer.

 **Later...**

After saying goodbye to the three, the six Trainers all arrived to where AJ's Gym was. At arriving and seeing the sight of it, the younger Ketchum brother smirked about the sight a smile he knew what kind of Gym this was.

"Look at that! This Gym isn't even licensed by the Pokémon League! Undefeated... big deal! I can beat him!" Ash said confidently. Isamu sweat dropped, as he noticed the number of wins and losses that were posted on the board above them.

"98 wins and 0 losses? Who actually counts their wins?" Isamu said, unimpressed.

"I think confident Trainers, believing that they can't lose in a match, like your little brother here." Yellow answered, causing the little brother to glare at her.

"Hey! Come on, Yellow!" Ash protested while Misty taunted him also.

"Yellow's right. You may have won 10 battles like Isamu and Luna did, but he's won almost 10 times more matches than you have!" Misty added, causing Ash to glare at her also.

"I go for quality! Not quantity!" Ash retorted, causing Isamu to try and calm his brother down.

"Calm down, little bro. Don't let them get to you... especially since we've never seen those two battling before, besides Misty battling the three of us back at the Cascade Gym." Isamu said bluntly, earning a glare from the Water Type user.

"Big mouth..." Misty grumbled to herself while Yellow sweat dropped. The elder Ketchum brother did have one point. Yellow herself never got involved in a Pokémon Battle once. So she couldn't protest of what Isamu just now.

But just as she finished her thoughts, a boy came up to the six, his voice acting rough as he confronted them.

"Are you my next victim?" The boy asked roughly, causing everyone to turn before Ash narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"You must be the wild Pokémon Trainer..." Ash said bravely.

"Huh! That's my job! But beating chumps like you is my hobby! Ready to lose?" The boy, now known as AJ asked confidently. At his tone, Luna shivered a little before she narrowed her eyes at the boy.

"He looks so full of himself..." Luna commented as Isamu folded his arms.

"Well, I'm sure he'll show his true skills when we see him in battle." Isamu assured as the gates to the unofficial Gym opened up. With all of them heading inside, the younger brother was ready to earn his eleventh win and defeat the unbeatable Trainer.

But at the sight of the inside of the Gym, the group were impressed with how the battlefield looked.

"Wow..." Ash said in awe.

"Not too shabby at all!" Misty admitted.

It was at that point when a Butterfree came by, before it picked up the backpack that AJ has set down. It flew off, leaving the Trainers curious, as Luna made the question by asking.

"What was in that bag, anyway?" Luna asked, causing AJ to turn and answer.

"The wild Pokémon I just caught. Bunch more in the tent, and then some!" AJ answered, exciting Ash as he stepped up.

"Hey! Can I see them after the match?" Ash asked. He was starting to feel excited as he wanted to know what kind of Pokémon AJ was training as AJ walked up to the battlefield before giving the answer.

"If you want... So, which Pokémon are you gonna choose for my 99th win?" AJ asked.

"99th...?" Ash repeated before he regained his glare. Soon, the younger brother stepped up to the battlefield, while Isamu and the others watched. Now they could see what AJ's skills are truly like in a real Pokémon battle.

"I'm afraid you're gonna have to change your sign after this match! You'll be FORMERLY undefeated!" Ash said confidently. AJ just smirked before he took out a whip, feeling confident in this match himself.

"You may think you're hot stuff, kid. But you're not playing in the Pokémon Little League anymore!" AJ smirked as he gave a crack with the whip, startling Ash while causing Luna to feel stiff as she didn't like the sight of that whip.

"Why is he using that during the battle? Is he going to whip his Pokémon during the match?" Luna said, scared.

"Don't think so. If he did, then that would be illegal... forcing a Pokémon to fight with a small weapon like that." Isamu said seriously. Even he didn't like the sight of the whip, as he began to think more differently of the undefeated Trainer.

"After I win a hundred matches in a row, I'll start competing for Badges!" AJ declared, surprising Yellow as she blinked.

"Wait... Does this mean he doesn't have a Badge yet?" Yellow asked in surprise.

"It sounds like it..." Isamu answered, before he felt Eevee shivering on his left shoulder.

"Eevee? What's wrong?" Isamu asked, getting no response. The Evolution Pokemon kept shivering with how AJ was behaving while Brock noticed what this meant right now for the confident Trainer.

"Still, with that many wins, that means he's only two wins away." Brock pointed out.

"And he'll be extra psyched to win!" Misty added. But this didn't seem to concern Ash as he snickered at hearing AJ not having even one Gym Badge for the Pokémon League.

"98 wins and you still don't have a Badge? That's tough luck, AJ! I have 10 wins and I have two Pokémon Gym Badges! And I'm not the only one with Badges! Big bro and Luna behind me have Badges, too!" Ash bragged, before he showed his two Badges.

At seeing the two Badges, AJ just scoffed and remained confident.

"Did you buy those Badges or steal 'em? Either that, or you competed in some loser Gyms! Where were they? Failure City or Wimpsville?" AJ asked, snapping both Brock and Misty as they glared at the boy that was insulting their Gyms.

"What do you mean, loser Gyms!?" Misty snapped angrily.

"Hey, Ash! Pulverize this guy!" Brock added angrily, leaving Ash to laugh nervously in surprise.

Yellow calmed Misty down while Luna did the same with Brock. Isamu on the other hand, twitched his eyes in annoyance.

 _"Accusing Ash for stealing or buying the Badges instead of winning them? That was completely out of the line for this guy..."_ Isamu thought as he felt a bit ticked off from what the undefeated Trainer said just now to insult his brother and his friends.

"Let's get started, then! Sandshrew, go!" AJ called out, calling forth a Ground Type Pokémon.

"A Sandshrew, huh? This should be interesting!" Ash admitted with a grin. Isamu took out his Pokédex, scanning the little Pokémon.

 _"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. Sandshrew burrows deep underground in and locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food."_ Isamu's Pokédex buzzed.

"Let's be careful now, Ash..." Brock reminded in warning.

"Remember, Sandshrew is a Ground Type! So Pikachu's electricity won't be good against it!" Misty added, irritating Ash a little as he glared at the two for their reminders. He knew it already, when he fought against Brock so he felt as if he didn't need to be lectured about it.

"I know exactly what I'm doing! I don't need your help! Pidgeotto, I choose you!" Ash called out.

 **AJ: Sandshrew VS Ash: Pidgeotto + 1**

At the ball being opened, the evolved Bird Pokémon flew into the air, as it was ready for battle. A crack from a whip came from AJ as he commanded his Ground Type to strike first.

"Sandshrew, go!" AJ called out. At the order, the little Ground Type charged to counter Pidgeotto as Ash commanded his Flying Type to strike down to attack!

"Pidgeotto, dive at it with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled. Pidgeotto did so by shooting down to attack head to head with the Mouse Pokémon!

"Ash should be lucky! A Flying Type Pokémon should have the advantage here!" Brock commented, until Isamu spoke up with a serious tone. He noticed something off as he spoke his words.

"No... Type advantage isn't the only way to win. And I think AJ over there is proving that himself by making a surprise for all of us!" Isamu explained.

"A surprise?" Yellow repeated before she heard a crack from the whip! No one noticed Eevee flinching again as she shivered at hearing the whip crack.

Sandshrew on the other hand, curled itself up into a ball to prepare to strike as Ash grinned, feeling that he was going to have the advantage no matter what AJ was planning to do.

"Too bad Sandshrew can't fly!" Ash said, before he was proven wrong. Sandshrew began to roll faster before it jumped high enough to knock Pidgeotto to the ground! Ash gasped as he watched his Bird Pokémon fall to the ground, having taken serious damage from the Rollout attack.

"Ah! Pidgeotto!" Ash exclaimed as Luna widened her eyes.

"Oh no...! That was a direct hit!" Luna gasped. Everyone watched in disbelief as Sandshrew was ready to strike again, under AJ's orders. And AJ did so by calling for the next move to finish the opponent off!

"Finish it!" AJ snapped as he cracked his whip, scaring Eevee again, which caught Isamu's attention this time. He turned to see Eevee shivering as he pulled the female Normal Type into his arms before he gazed at her sternly and in concern.

"Eevee, what's wrong? Is it because of that whip?" Isamu asked. Eevee only whimpered as Ash quickly called Pidgeotto back, causing him to lose one point of the match.

"Uh oh! Pidgeotto, return!" Ash called out, as he called back his knocked down Flying Type.

 **Ash: 1 Pokémon**

As soon as Pidgeotto was recalled, the younger Ketchum brother was ready to have another battle, with a different Pokémon this time!

"Butterfree, I choose you!" Ash called out, as he called out his Bug-Flying Type out!

"Another Flying Type and a Bug Type this time...Do you think Sandshrew will use the same method?" Yellow asked, causing Isamu to make the answer.

"Maybe. One Rollout attack from Sandshrew took Pidgeotto out, so I can't be sure if Butterfree will do better. Plus, Sandshrew can dig underground to evade attacks, so it won't be easy for Ash to win in. I just hope he knows what he's doing..." Isamu explained seriously.

"You can do it, Butterfree! Flying Type versus a Ground Type should be no problem!" Ash shouted out.

But confident like always, AJ smirked as he was ready to counter whatever his challenger was going to do.

"That's what you think, kid! Now watch and learn!" AJ called out. Both Pokémon charged at each other, with their Trainers calling out the attacks!

"Go! Stun Spore!" Ash shouted out.

As Butterfree attempted to paralyze the Mouse Pokémon, another crack from the whip gave Sandshrew the signal to dig underground! But it also caused Eevee to flinch, causing Isamu to glare where the confident Trainer was standing at.

 _"Does he have to use the whip to make the command and not with his mouth?"_ Isamu thought in annoyance.

Butterfree flew around, confused as to where Sandshrew was as he looked around.

"That Sandshrew was well trained..." Brock commented, realizing on how much training Sandshrew seemed to have taken to be battling this well.

"He can signal it with a crack of his whip, like a lion tamer!" Misty added as Yellow and Luna watched. But as Butterfree was attempting to be careful, an underground attack struck Butterfree, who took another Rollout attack!

The evolved Bug-Flying Type was knocked down, held down by Sandshrew!

"Butterfree!?" Ash gasped as AJ smirked in triumph.

"HA! It's not so free anymore!" AJ sneered, causing Ash to feel frustrated. Remembering that he still had Pikachu left, the younger Ketchum brother tried to germ Pikachu into the fight, despite the Electric Type's refusal.

"Come on, Pikachu! You've got to help your friend!" Ash pleaded as he pulled onto the Electric Type's tail, while trying to convince his starter to avenge both Pidgeotto and Butterfree.

But Pikachu knew how strong Sandshrew was to take both Pidgeotto and Butterfree down, which made him want to pass.

"Chu! Pikachu!" Pikachu protested before he shocked Ash with a Thundershock attack! Isamu widened his eyes in surprise as he watched his little brother fall, paralyzed from the sudden shock he had taken from his Electric Type partner.

"Ugh..." Ash groaned as the elder Ketchum brother sighed.

"If Pikachu isn't going to battle, then you're going to have to consider this your loss, little brother..." Isamu said with a sigh.

At hearing his elder brother speak, Ash groaned, feeling down that his winning streak ended in 10.

 **Winner: AJ**

With AJ winning the match, the number on the winning part of the scoreboard rose up to 99! The confident Trainer smirked in triumph, before he made the call for his win.

"And that makes it victory number 99!" AJ called out with Sandshrew wagging its tail in satisfaction.

But for Ash, he was upset with the humiliating loss he had taken.

"It's not fair! I'm the one with Badges! How about 2 out of 3!?" Ash pleaded as he he'd onto AJ's arm for a rematch. Glaring at his defeated challenger, AJ pulled his arm away while refusing the rematch request.

"Stop whining, kid! Nobody wants to compete against a crybaby!" AJ snapped as he released himself from Ash's grip, causing the younger brother to yelp before Isamu came over, with Eevee in his arms.

For the Evolution Pokémon, she was still frightened for the whipping AJ had done while battling as she gave a whimper at the sight of it. Noticing this, Isamu shushed his Normal Type softly before he watched Ash protest against AJ again.

"Hey! There's something fishy here! I didn't have any problems winning until I battled in your ring! How do I know this whole match wasn't rigged!?" Ash snapped while Isamu raised an eyebrow.

There was nothing wrong with the ring that both Ash and AJ battled in. But for the younger brother, he was coming to the belief that AJ had done something illegal to the match, which could've allowed him to win.

"That's it! You cheated! How else could Sandshrew defeat Butterfree and Pidgeotto!? Flying Type Pokémon always have the advantage over Ground Type Pokémon!" Ash snapped, as he made an accusation against his confident opponent.

"Chill out..." AJ said, as he was starting to feel uncomfortable the constant shouting Ash was doing.

"What do you say we go replay this match someplace else, huh?" Ash pleaded as the others watched.

"Ash doesn't know when to quit, does he?" Misty asked with a sigh.

"That's Ash for you. It's just like what Isamu said. He doesn't have any intentions to stop unless he proves that he's the best." Luna reminded, allowing Brock to understand. He then frowned, before looking back to where AJ and Sandshrew were standing at.

"I guess so, but still... That AJ sure is strong. I don't get it! How is he so good?" Brock asked, before he started to feel irritated with the questions popping up into his mind.

Back to Ash, he tried to convince AJ for one more battle, despite knowing the fact that AJ would refuse his offer.

"One more chance...?" Ash asked weakly. But AJ was already walking away with Sandshrew at his side.

"Come back when you grow up." AJ said simply before he headed back into the tent.

"Mm... It's not fair..." Ash groaned as Isamu tried to comfort him.

"No one can be perfect, Ash... So cheer up. It's just one loss. I'm sure the next time you'll battle him, he'll be the one to be surprised with the quick comeback." Isamu reassured with a smile, causing Ash to sigh.

"I guess..." Ash groaned before the others walked over.

"You okay, Ash? That was a surprise, wasn't it?" Yellow asked, earning a nod from the younger brother.

"I'm fine, Yellow... I'm just, I don't know... upset that I lost after I won my tenth battle against another Trainer." Ash admitted sadly.

"Well, don't let it get to you. It's just like your brother said, if you train more harder and battle harder, I'm sure you'll be able to win the next time you face AJ." Luna said softly, earning a weak smile from Ash.

"Yeah... You're right. Thanks, Luna... And big bro." Ash agreed sadly, before his smile grew a little stronger.

The two nodded back to Ash before Brock spoke up, questioning Ash's ways of training and battling together with his Pokémon.

"Luna is right. But if you want to become stronger, you'll have to rethink the way you train." Brock said, leaving the younger brother to be confused with the sudden statement.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked. But before anyone could answer, there was a loud crack from a whip, frightening Eevee again as AJ sounded angry from the way he was speaking.

"YOU CALL THAT LAST MATCH A FIGHT!? It's time for some serious training!" AJ's yelling caught everyone's attention as they all approached the tent to see what was happening inside.

As Isamu, Ash, and Luna all took the first look inside, they all widened their eyes to see what was happening inside! AJ was in there, but so were many different Pokémon! Sandshrew was training with him at a pool.

A Beedrill was sparring against the Butterfree from before. Not only that, a trio of Rattata were training hard in their own ways. All of them had some equipment attached to their bodies, as if they were to be used to strengthen their attacks or defenses.

But as the three were looking around, they spotted Sandshrew jumping into the water before it jumped out! It seemed to have flinched at diving in as AJ just glared. Aiming to motivate Sandshrew, the confident Trainer made another crack from his whip again.

"Get back in the water!" AJ snapped, snapping Luna as she ran to stop the confident Trainer.

"STOP THAT! Don't hurt him!" Luna yelled, startling AJ as both Ash and Isamu watched in surprise to see Luna tackling AJ into the pool to prevent Sandshrew from getting yelled at as they both hit the pool water!

The others all ran to see both Luna and AJ hitting the pool before they surfaced up, with the confident Trainer glaring at the young girl.

"Ugh! What do you want, little miss!? A swimming match!?" AJ snapped as Arcanine and Ninetales quickly helped the young girl out of the pool as Luna swam over to them before they pulled her out. Glaring back at AJ, Luna snapped at the Trainer for using the whip again.

"I don't want a swimming match. What I want to know is why you're forcing your Sandshrew to jump into the pool! You all of people should know that a Ground Type like Sandshrew is weak to water!" Luna snapped back, earning a glare back from AJ.

"I don't need a little girl like you teaching me how to train Pokémon!" AJ retorted, causing Arcanine to growl at him while Ninetales just glared. Ash on the other hand, seemed to understand how Luna felt as he glared at the confident Trainer as well.

"You call that training!? Wait... what's that? It looks like a straightjacket!" Ash started to snap before he noticed some sort of equipment attached to the Mouse Pokémon. AJ scoffed before he shook his head in annoyance before he tried to get out of the pool.

"That's no straightjacket! It's a strength intensifier!" AJ corrected as he got out, before Brock questioned his equipment.

"Who invented that?" Brock asked simply, earning a smirk from the confident Trainer.

"I did! It's my own secret weapon for unleashing a Pokémon's true power!" AJ answered before he turned back to the Ground Type with an order.

"Sandshrew! Back in the pool!" AJ snapped, earning a quick nod from the Ground Type before it got ready to jump into the pool again, much to both Luna and Ash's protest.

"Again!? Didn't you hear me!? Sandshrew is weak against water!" Luna snapped, earning a glare from the confident Trainer.

"I know that! I heard you the first time, little girl!" AJ said loudly before Ash joined in with snapping at the confident Trainer.

"Then why are you forcing Sandshrew to hurt himself like that!?" Ash demanded, earning a confused look from AJ, who sighed.

"Hurt him... Sandshrew isn't going to get hurt by water! See for yourself Sandshrew, dive!" AJ reassured, causing everyone to watch and see the Mouse Pokémon dive down into the pool water perfectly, amazing Misty as she blinked in surprise.

"Nice dive..." Misty said, complimenting the Ground Type. The Mouse Pokémon then jumped out of the water, before it spun its curled body around like a ball to get all of the water out of its body.

"Good work." AJ said, as Isamu frowned. Sandshrew didn't seem hurt or upset with the fact that it was forced to go underwater before he turned to the confident Trainer.

"That's funny... Sandshrew looked like he didn't feel a thing by getting into the water. How does that work?" Isamu asked, confused as AJ gave a grin.

"That's because you all are looking at the only Sandshrew in the world that's strong enough to withstand water!" AJ explained, surprising both Ash and Luna as they didn't expect to see a Sandshrew like that. AJ paid them no mind before he gave another order to his Ground Type.

"Sandshrew! Pick up the pace!" AJ cried out.

Nodding with a grunt, the Mouse Pokémon curled himself up into a ball before he rolled to a Rattata, who passed it onto the second Rattata, who then passed it onto the third! The third passed it to the first, causing the cycle of passing to begin.

"Hey, wait! I thought you said pacing! Not passing!" Ash complained, causing Misty, Brock, and Yellow to all fall over!

Isamu sweat dropped with a sheepish smile while Luna just giggled at how clueless the younger Ketchum brother was.

Eevee just blinked while Chuchu watched in disbelief, understanding how Yellow and the others felt with the younger brother.

Pikachu on the other hand, took out a small pillow to catch his Trainer's attention, causing Ash to turn in confusion before he shook his head in annoyance.

"Huh? I said padding... I mean! I said pacing!" Ash yelped, before he yelled, causing Pikachu to flinch before the Electric Type walked off with the pillow over his head. The younger brother turned to AJ again, noticing how tough he's acting to his Ground Type right now.

"Why are you so tough on Sandshrew!?" Ash asked, allowing AJ to answer. The others listened in, before the confident Trainer began.

"I have to be tough. But I ask no more of Sandshrew than I do with myself! The very best!" AJ explained, before Isamu spoke up this time.

"Well, if that's true, then why aren't you being equally tough with the rest of your Pokémon? Is it because that Sandshrew is...?" Isamu started to ask before AJ nodded with a grin.

"Yep! You guessed it! Sandshrew is the very first Pokémon that I've caught! I will never forget that moment..." AJ said before he remembered the day he and Sandshrew promised together to be the very best someday, the time when they can be unbeatable in battles.

"We promised to do whatever it took to become the greatest Pokémon and Trainer of all times! Nothing would stop us from reaching our dream! No matter how difficult our path, enduring fierce storms and raging winds! We sacrificed everything to achieve our dream and it was worth it! We're an unbeatable team!" AJ explained.

Luna could only blink before she looked to see Sandshrew training hard with the other Pokémon.

 _"So Sandshrew is AJ's partner, like Isamu guessed... And to think they would promise each other to become the best together..."_ Luna thought before she looked at Arcanine. She rubbed his furry head, earning a warm smile from the Legendary Pokémon as she sighed.

"I wonder if I had the same strong bond with you once, Arcanine? The time when I was young and when you were still a Growlithe..." Luna asked, causing the evolved Fire Type to look at the young girl with a serious expression.

"Arc..." Arcanine gave a soft growl, causing Luna to blink before she regained her smile.

To be continued...

* * *

 **Isamu's Team:**

 **Eevee: (F): (Tackle, Bite, Sand Attack, Quick Attack)**

 **Pidgey: (M): (Gust, Sand-Attack, Quick Attack, Tackle)**

 **Nidoran: (M): (Double Kick, Poison Sting, Horn Attack, Peck)**

 **Vulpix: (F): (Ember, Quick Attack, Roar, Dig)**

Next chapters:

 **Chapter 16: The Severe Training and Bond!?**

 **Chapter 17: The Rich Pokémon Tech School!**

 **Chapter 18: The Proof of the Trainer's Skills!**

 **Chapter 19:** **To the Hidden Village! Wait, Traps!?**

 **Chapter 20:** **The Guardian of Grass, Bulbasaur!**

 **Next chapter preview:**

AJ: In this Gym, we go by 'No Pain, No Gain'! But with your stuffed Pikachu, you don't seem to follow any rules!

Ash: You take that back right now! My Pikachu isn't stuffed and I know it for sure!

Yellow: You treat them as your students, but as a result... they seem to be wiped out...

Luna: If it's alright with you, then I'll be your 100th opponent. I want to test my abilities to be one with my Pokémon!

AJ: Be one with your Pokémon? That sounds weird, but great at the same time!

Isamu: Be one, huh... That shows on how much you want to change, huh...

 **Events that occurred:**

\- The group meets AJ, who runs an unofficial Gym


End file.
